


Another Movie Night

by Rumblepurr



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-11
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2019-05-21 02:33:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14906678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rumblepurr/pseuds/Rumblepurr
Summary: Thursday Night.... Judy and Nick are just coming off duty and began getting ready for an evening at Nick's place. Nick has picked out a few DVDs for tonight, and all he needs is a stop at the local mini-mart. He meets Judy in the hallway, and they get in their squad car since it is their size and they are the only ones who can use it. Nick's first choice is a classic: Sherbark Hounds and 'The Hound of the Bassetvilles.' Being a favorite story of Judy's, they get ready with their snacks, and beer... From the beginning, Nick is unaware that Judy has a little more than a movie on her mind... that is until he scents a lavender smell, and he discovers that she is not wearing a certain piece of clothing....





	Another Movie Night

**ANOTHER MOVIE NIGHT  
by Rumblepurr**

****

**RATING : Mature – graphic adult situations**

**R (close to NC-17)**

**Explicit – some graphic adult situations**

** DISCLAIMER _:_ ** _The following story is for entertainment purposes only, and is not meant to interfere or infringe upon copyrighted material or ownership._ _All names, places and events contained in the stories placed on this site are works of fiction, and all such references to anyone living or dead, to places existing or in ruins, or places past, present and future, are purely coincidental. The author and this website are not connected with any other organization, and is not to be construed as advocating said organization. Furthermore, the author does not expect to receive compensation or endorsements for this fanfiction. Finally, the author does not intend to insult or insinuate impropriety of any group or organization in the telling of this story._

** AUTHOR’S NOTES ** _: From what I can tell from other fanfiction and from Forum discussions, Zootopia created a world that evolved without a primate line, which means that people – humans – do not exist. Some sources consider canon rules that also exclude animals that became domesticated, such as dogs, cats, horses, cattle, etc. The Zootopia movie, however, did include swine (the lady getting a picture taken at the DMV), sheep (villainess Bellwether and the rams working the Night Howler serum), and certain wild cats such as the tiger(Fangmeyer), the lion (Mayor Lionheart), the panther (Manchas), the jaguar, et.all. Since there are exceptions to the canon rules, I do not believe I am too far out of line by placing dogs as cast members of Nick’s choice in this story. True – domestication of the dog created the multitude of specialized breeds we have today. Ranging from Companion to Hound to Herding to Working to Sporting breeds, the domestication of the Canids would probably be restricted to those breeds that did not conflict with “socially acceptable behavior;” such as the Herding or Working breeds. For example, the English Sheepdog herding Zootopian sheep would not be tolerated. On the flip-side, the Timber Wolf was used in the movie, and they are ancestors of the domesticated dog… In constructing the Film that Nick brought to Movie Night, I cast breeds that I hope would be suitable. If not, I pray that you, the reader, will at least attempt to accept this rendition of a classic story placed in the Zootopia genre. After all, the theme of Zootopia is “to try everything….”_

**FOREWORD** **:** _This story takes place about 10-12 months after the Zootopia movie ends. The assumption is that Nick graduates from the Police Academy and becomes a ZPD police officer and is assigned to Judy Hopps as her partner. Judy eases Nick through his probationary period, and they begin their active patrols – mostly in Central Zootopia. On duty, they begin to build traits that make a good duo team. However, such a working team also means that they begin to form a personal bond as well. Here, they create a diversion called “movie night.” Innocent as it sounds, things can sometimes spin out of control as they watch a film where they could sympathize with the characters. Welcome to “Another Film Night….”_

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

BOOK: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Hound of the Baskervilles (1902)

FILM: Hound of the Baskervilles, Twentieth Century Fox (1939)

Film Dialogue in **_Italics_**

 

**Chapter One: Introduction**

**F** or most people in Zootopia, the day called Thursday was nothing special most of the time. The day was counted as fifth in the week, and named after the Moose Deity known as Tho’zor. The people of Tundratown once revered this legendary figure, and he was pictured as an anthropomorphic Moose Warrior with steel-encased hooves and heavy gold-plated antlers. It was said that when he struck anything with his heavy mace, the air would sound like a mighty crash and drumroll of thunder.

 

For two members of the Zootopian society, Thursday was a special day. Because of their chosen profession as law enforcement officers, they chose this one day to put aside their work and pick a movie to enjoy. And… since some of the previous nights ended wonderfully… they sometimes took the entire weekend off….

 

Judith Laverne Hopps opened her locker in the female dressing room of the Zootopia Police Station in Precinct One, and her thoughts had her grinning mostly to herself. Although working as a bunny cop in the ZPD gave her a buzz each time she reported for duty, being close to a certain predator and acting as a partner with him was already causing her fluffy tail to twitch. Their previous movie dates involved going first to a walk-in theater in the Entertainment Zone Downtown, then to a drive-in, and now, her destination was Nick’s place. Her place was rather Spartan to say the least, and she had not saved up enough even to buy a DVD player. Nick had managed to snag a decent duplex with a reasonable rent, and so their movie night was going there. This night was going to be more intimate than that day she embraced Nick under the bridge he used for his bachelor’s pad. Just the thought of being alone with him made her shiver. Already, she felt closer to him than she ever did with any other of her ‘so-called’ dates.

 

Reaching up to her shoulder, she unhooked the tactical microphone from her Kevlar vest. Shedding the body armor, she put the communications gear and her utility belt into the safety section of her locker. Next, she drew out her TQG150 service piece, and examined it. The pistol, a lightweight semi-automatic weapon, fired tranquilizer darts in an average dosage that could down a mammal twice her body mass. The larger the perp, the more darts would be fired. Her training told her to initially fire two, then ready one or more darts if that did not do the trick. Society demanded they try to prevent deadly force, especially in Zootopia itself. She debated for a few seconds before setting the weapon, safety engaged, down on the bench.

 

“Never can be too careful,” she muttered to herself. “I wonder if the R&D geeks are close to perfecting that wireless tazer…”

 

At this point, she turned to the full-length mirror at the end of each row of lockers. When she became a full-fledged officer, maintenance built a special row just for smaller mammals. As if performing a slow striptease, she unzipped her form-fitting bodysuit and opened it. She knew she had a good figure for a rabbit. Her rounded hips, buttocks and thighs gave her strength, speed and jumping ability – as well as giving her a certain sex appeal. More than once, she noticed that her partner’s eyes wandered up and down this portion of her anatomy.

 

“Lucky for me he likes my ass,” she chuckled, “because I don’t have much more to show off.”

 

As she pulled up her undershirt, she stopped just when her nipples barely peeked out from under the hem. Rabbits, as a breed, were usually flat-chested, and she really wished she had a little more than the B-cup she wore. Still, she remembered her partner once mentioned what he thought.

 

“Carrots? It’s not how much you have. It’s what you do with it. It’s the packaging, sweetheart.”

 

She grinned at the thought of Nick watching at her strip, and she smiled coyly at her imaginary fox partner. “What are looking at, Nick?” she giggled, and pulled off the undershirt. To add to the fantasy, she thrust her upper body forward and then took a model’s stance. Her soft torso fur covered the entirety of her breasts and her pinkish nipples barely cleared the tips of her downy chest fur. She shrugged her shoulders, and then tossed the shirt expertly onto a closet hook.

 

“He still looks,” she said with a snort.

 

The one time she let him touch her, Nick did work her upper body to her satisfaction. Odd… she thought. He was very gentle with her breasts and nipples – treating them a good deal gentler than a few others she had allowed the ‘privilege’. With Nick…? Just the thought of his paws sliding through her belly fur and finding first the one globe, and then the other… Judy shuddered delightfully. And then, what his tongue could do to her….

 

Standing in only a brief pair of black, lacy panties, she placed a hand on her hip, and then half-closed her eyelids over expressive amethyst irises. “See what you like, or like what you see… sweetheart?”

 

She continued to chuckle as she took out a dark blue coat, a light pink V-neck sweater, and a comfortable pair of jeans. Then, she debated on wearing a bra for tonight. A naughty expression crossed her features as she began to dress, and she waved the thought and the bra back into her locker. She then retrieved and unsnapped her purse and extracted a golden carrot necklace. She nodded as she noticed that the pendant hung nicely in the cleavage of the sweater. Shutting the locker, she tucked the pistol in the back holster just above her tail and under the sweater. That left one last piece of “equipment” laying on the bench.

 

Her comm was a personal communication device – which reported her position in Zootopia and kept her in contact with the station 24/7. Velcro kept its microphone attached to her vest, and a bud speaker curled around her closest ear. Judy looked at the miniature device with a glaring intensity that could fry every electronic circuit.

 

“Clawhauser better heed my warning,” she threatened softly. “If he interrupts this night for anything short of a city-wide riot, I will personally….”

 

She disengaged the ear buds, and set the speaker to low, and then dropped the comm into her purse. Satisfied that she was put together properly, she stepped out of the dressing room just in time to see her partner come out of the male dressing room….

 

**********

 

Nicolas Piberius Wilde was always glad to see his locker at the end of his shift. The first thing that the male fox took off was his uniform tie. True, he thought. he usually wore a tie as a civilian, but not snug against the base of his throat as the dress code demanded. His service weapon was slightly heavier than the one Hopps wore. The TQG350 tranq pistol had a little more kick to it, and Nick liked the heft of the weapon. He also liked the fact that the weapon was non-lethal for the most part. The tranq was charged for twice his body mass, and was capable of even taking down a mammal like Chief Bogo. His comm went in his pants pocket, and his weapons went into a personally built rack in his locker, and then he hung up his uniform and body armor.

 

“See you at the pub, Nick?” Fangmeyer called out.

 

“No can do tonight, pal.” Nick called back to the tiger officer. “Got a hot date.”

 

The large bear officer, Grizzoli, laughed. “Come on, Nick. You haven’t made it to the Halfway Line with Judy since you got here.”

 

“She has class, Griz,” Nick shot back as he put on a pair of tan cargo pants followed by a white tank top. “You can’t put the moves on her right away or you’ll scare her off, and that’s not what I want.”

 

“Excuses, excuses,” the Grizzly said as he broke wind.

 

“Hey!” the tiger complained. “Do that out on the street!”

 

“And that’s how he gets the ladies to fall all over him,” Nick snickered. “Works better than the riot gas we use. One sniff, and the chicks fall over, comatose.”

 

“I thought that was his cologne,” Fangmeyer growled.

 

Nick tuned out the rest of the banter as he chose a light-green, tropical shirt from three other colored shirts hanging in his locker. After that, a loosened purple tie joined his ensemble. As he held it up, he grinned. Judy had chosen this tie because it would remind him of the color of her eyes…

 

Yeah… SHE chose it for him to remember her by… As if he needed that… Reaching back into his locker he took out a pair of DVDs and a small revolver from the lockbox. He opened the cylinder and examined the chambers. Five chambers were occupied by hollow-point slugs – small but deadly rounds. Checking to see if the first chamber was empty, he slapped the cylinder back in place and slipped the revolver into the top pocket of his cargo pants. He knew Judy would be carrying a tranq pistol and would probably fire first if something developed between the station and his place… or her place…

 

Coming out of the dressing room, he shook his head at some of the ribald comments that the guys threw after him. True, he said to himself, he had had dates before that were more for the sex than anything. One cervine lady a few years back helped him get through a hot and humid summer with lots of swimming pool sex. She was like Judy in the way she was curious about predator/prey sex, and so the affair went on until this novelty wore off. The fact that she was twice his size meant that this second novelty wore off the first time she pushed him onto the bed and jumped on him, cowgirl-style….

 

**********

 

Judy smiled when Nick looked her way, but then frowned at the morose expression he had. “What’s wrong, Nick? The guys getting to you?”

               

“What? Them?” His usual languid smile came smoothly to his lips. “What do they know about treating a good-looking bunny to a date?”

 

“Good-looking?” Judy was slightly taken aback. “Is this another hustle, or are you just being glib?”

 

“You know you love me,” he replied matter-of-factly.

 

“Do I? I mean, we’ve played this game before, Nick.”

 

Nick smirked. “Maybe we haven’t finished it yet, Carrots. And we won’t know about that if we stand here in the parking lot. There’s a market along the way to get few things. We can call in a five-cheese pizza, and we’ll be ready to have a pleasant evening. You ready for that?”

 

“Lead me to our magic carpet, then,” Judy said, waving imaginary servants to their duties.

 

“Will an armored squad car do?” he said, bowing her into the driver’s seat.

 

“Even better,” she giggled. “That way, we can flick the lights on and breeze through traffic.”

 

Nick chuckled. “Isn’t that a misuse of police resources, as well as against protocol?”

 

“What’ll we do then? Arrest each other?”

 

“Both of us have cuffs,” Nick said knowingly.

 

“I might be safer if I did cuff you…” She felt a blush color her cheeks and ears at the innuendo. Certainly, the thoughts of securing him with handcuffs would somewhat place him at her mercy.

 

“You might be, but what about me? You getting randy on me, Carrots?”

 

“Me? Just get in the car and buckle up.”

 

“Yes, Ma’am!” he said as he climbed into the passenger bucket and fastened his safety harness. However, the moment Judy climbed in and clicked her safety harness shut, he sensed a change. A careful sniff of the cruiser’s air-conditioner caused him to raise an eyebrow. He knew what a female’s heat smelled like, and that sweet hint of pheromones promised a little advancement in the romance department. Judy turned the cruiser’s powerful motor over and eased the ZPD cruiser out onto the street.

 

Nick smiled to himself. _Tonight is going to be interesting…._

 

**Chapter Two: Preparations**

 

Judy had only visited Nick’s place once or twice in passing. The first time, he had to retrieve a report he had worked on, but forgot in the early morning rush. She toyed with the carrot pendant as she thought about that possible second time not too long ago. He was acting nervous then, and had asked her to stay in the car. When he came back, there was a slight bulge in his shirt pocket. All that day, she was on edge as to what it was. That night, one of the first of their now weekly movie dates, he had chosen to take her to a sit-down dinner at a nice restaurant not far from his place. When she had gone to the restroom to ‘powder her nose,’ she returned to find a jewelry box on her napkin.

 

“What’s this?” she had asked.

 

“A little something to thank you for pushing me through the academy, Judy,” he had replied.

 

The gift of the necklace and the praise earned him a squee, a hard hug, and a deep kiss. Judy blushed again as she remembered that warm kiss and a couple of brief touches. When his hand slid over to just under her breasts and then played slightly with a protruding nipple through her blouse, she hoped that he would not be disappointed. After all, he was older, and should have had sexual partners with a larger set of…

 

“Dispatch to Carrots,” Nick said, breaking through the memories. A short drive had taken them to a market, and Nick had removed his seat harness. “I’ll get the beer and call in the pizza. You get the chips. Don’t worry about the dip. I made up some last night and it should be seasoned by now… By-the-way… you look nice.”

 

“Uh, thanks,” she almost stammered. Her hand went to the cleavage of her sweater, and then she heard him chuckle. “What?”

 

“The cover-up, Fluff,” he said as he grabbed his open collar. “I never understood why chicks put on clothes to show off what they got, and the moment some guy looks at her, she does what you just did.” He waved off her protest before she could voice it. “Never mind… Go get the chips now. We can argue about that later.”

 

As Judy moved toward the aisle where the market stocked nearly thirty or forty brands and flavors of chips, Nick was more than aware that he was concentrating on the flick of her power-puff tail. Every time he looked at Judy, he seemed to discover one more thing about her. Although she was from a different species, he considered her to be… ‘more than cute.” He had to admit that her full hips, thighs and buttocks turned him on. But, he also liked her expressive, amethyst eyes and long, pink ears; both features of which made understanding her easier. Every nuance of emotion could be translated by watching her ears operate like an old train semaphore signaling device. The eyes, however, required some close-up definitions – which Nick had not fully found a Rosetta Stone for them … And yet….

 

Coming back laden with two 12-packs of beer, a large bag of pretzels and a trail mix of dried fruits, various nuts and chocolate beads, Nick waited for Judy. When she appeared, he could barely make out her face behind four large bags of corn chips, BBQ chips, Ranch-flavored chips and Cheddar and Sour Cream chips. He laughed as she scattered the bags on the checkout counter.

 

“Got an attack of the munchies tonight, Fluff?” he asked humorously.

 

“Me? What’s with the two 12-packs, Slick Nick?” she exclaimed. “What’re you planning to do? Get me drunk enough so you can have your way with me?”

 

“Well, the thought crossed my mind…” he replied with a slight leer. “OW!”

 

Those strong legs he had admired suddenly propelled her to his chest level, and she punched him in the arm. “Maybe I should get that fox repellent out…”

 

Nick rubbed his upper arm, and then motioned her not to do that again. “Come on, Carrots. You know I’d never hurt you. Remember? Uh… I meant that…”

 

“And I honestly hope you never go back on it… We’ve invested a lot on being at each other’s back to lose that trust… _and other things_ …”

 

Nick’s closer ear twitched at the near whisper. Other things? He shook the thought away as the bear at the check-out snorted. “I’ll get this, Judy. Go get some of that carrot candy you like.”

 

“The Creekside candies? The chocolate-covered fruit-centered chunks I’d do almost anything to have lots of? The cost serves you right.”

 

“Yeah,” he said as she ran off to the Snacks aisle. “She gets some tasty treats and I get a bruise…”

 

Now armed with enough goodies to keep them in snack heaven for two nights instead of one, Nick directed Judy and the goodies to his place just on the outskirts of the Downtown district. Using funds from his past, he found and rented this two-bedroom duplex. A prairie-dog lady oversaw six of these units, and Nick was lucky to get a recent vacancy.  Seeing that Nick was a cop, the rent was discounted a percentage that made it ideal for him. Arriving at the duplex, Nick touched the remote for the garage door. Coasting in, Judy cut the motor when she had come to a halt in the unit’s garage.

 

“Cheese and crackers,” Judy swore softly. “This is nice.”

 

“And worth every _centavo_ I shelled out for it,” he said as he unlocked the front door, and keyed the garage door closed – not that he expected anyone to break into a police cruiser. “Wait until we sit down for the movie. I managed to get one of those surround-sound home theaters.  Really wicked. This way to the kitchen/dining room. It’s not very high-tech, but it gets the job done.”

 

“It’s a lot nicer than my place.” Judy put her things down on the table next to Nick’s load. She saw what Nick meant about his place. His furniture was… functional. The appliances were off-brand, but they were still in good condition. Nick noticed the scrutiny.

 

“Any place is better than your place – no offense…”

 

“None taken.”

 

“Oh. Bathroom is first door to the right. Guest room beyond that. Drop your coat there and I’ll show you the cabinet layout, in case you wish to do this again.”

 

Judy nodded and gave him a hip-bump. “Would I? Yes… yes, I would.”

 

Nick once more studied Judy’s provocative backside as she went down the short hallway. “All you have to do is ask, Carrots, and it’s yours,” he muttered after giving her a silent whistle.

 

“Just the one bed and a ‘vixen-size’ at that,” she commented as she came back into the kitchen. She immediately began helping Nick fill the bowls with their purchased snacks. Judy nodded as she noticed his choice for tableware. Everything was aluminum, high-impact plastic or stainless steel…

 

“Saves on broken dishes, Carrots,” he said as he stacked the beer into the shelves of a nearly empty refrigerator. “Those things bounce when dropped. For microwave stuff, I use plastic.”

 

The doorbell rang, and Nick motioned Judy to keep loading the bowls. He answered the door and received the soy-cheese large pizza. Taking out a pair of plates, he placed a pair of slices on each.

 

Taking a couple of cans of beer, the pizza and a pair of snack bowls, Nick and Judy went back into the living room, and placed everything within an arm’s reach of the couch. Nick went over to the player, and dropped a DVD into the slot. He grinned as he picked up the remote and tapped the power button…

 

“Wait for it…!”

 

The power-on music came at her from five different directions via Bossie speakers. He chuckled as her mouth made a silent “O”.

 

“I thought you might get a kick outta this one,” he said as he sprawled at the end of the couch, and she primly took the center cushion.

 

“This better not be one of your monster flicks. Giraffic Park made me scream, and I would hate to have to explain to your landlady about all the noise complaints.”

 

“Well, let’s find out….”

 

**Chapter Three: Opening Credits…**

 

After the usual copyright warning, the fanfare of 20th Century Fox Studios sounded from all five speakers, making Judy’s fur bristle delightfully. She flicked a petite palm-full of trail mix into her mouth.

Seconds later, the stately music of a nearly eighty-year-old film came over the speakers. Splashed across the screen, the title ‘Hound of the Bassetvilles’ began the movie credits. Judy squeee’d. She loved the way the older films began so she could locate the names of known stars.

 

“Where did you get this!?” Judy said as she bounced up and down on the couch, and then she launched herself into his arms. “This is one of my favorite stories! Nick! This is so cool!” Giving him a quick but sensual kiss, she settled back on her cushion.

 

“Okay, okay,” Nick replied, setting down a tray of their choice and just barely able to stop the DVD. “Do me one favor, though,” he said as he reversed the movie to the beginning of the opening credits

 

“Anything! I loved sitting through any Sherbark Hounds movie, even when I was a kitt. He used deduction to build and solve cases, and this one had some of the vaguest clues as to the murderer. And any misdirection he encountered…!”

 

“Carrots!” he said loud enough to interrupt her, and then he paused the video. “This is what I’m talking about… Now hold on a sec… This is what you are doing when you’re scribbling in that tablet of yours during our shift, isn’t it?”

 

Judy smirked. “Elementary, my dear Doctor Barkson… Hey! Did you know that Sherbark Hounds never EVER says that in the books? Only in the films. The performers added that line in later.”

 

“Why am I getting cast as Doctor Barkson? He’s a bumbling idiot at times… And you get Sherbark…?”

 

“Who figured out how to progress the Night Howler case?” Judy said, opening her beer and taking a sip. She giggled as she dropped her tablet on the coffee table. “Sweet cheese and crackers! This is a good brew…”

 

Nick opened his beer almost at the same time. “Only the best for my Partner. Now, I had my share of ideas during your first case, Carrots, or don’t you remember them?”

 

Judy was about to contest that point, and then thought better of it.

 

“Do you really want to cosplay this film?”

 

“Okay, I’ll try to keep quiet and just enjoy it. Besides… I have chocolate and pomegranate candies to enjoy… not to mention some ‘blueberry’ candies as well.” She handed over a small bowl of the Creekside brand chocolates that had blueberry fruit centers.

 

He sniffed the bowl and tossed a couple of the nugget-sized chocolates into his mouth. Then, he chewed the morsels speculatively. The candy-sweetness almost masked the fruit taste, but then, what were chocolate candies for? After swallowing, he leaned back contentedly. “Now that is heaven in candy form. Where did you find them?”

 

“Shopping. You know I look for anything that has blueberries in it just for my sly fox… uh, Partner… Come on, Nick! Start the movie!”

 

“Whatever the Great Detective desires,” Nick said, imitating a tip of a derby hat in her direction. “Although I think you have some ulterior motives about tonight…”

 

“That’s for me to know and you to deduce. Now shut up and watch how it’s done…”

 

They tapped cans and Nick touched the remote’s PL AY button.

 

**Chapter Four: The Movie is Afoot!**

 

 “I love the way these old movies put all the file information upfront,” Judy said as she sipped her beer. “Oh, good! This is the Aught-Thirty-Nine movie version with Basset Rawbone as Sherbark Hounds and Nigel Boxer as Doctor James Barkson. A lot of people think this version is canon, even if the mammals are dogs.”

 

Nick scowled at the mention of canines, but he managed to keep it from Judy.

 

As the opening frame came on, and the music heralded the start of the film, Judy bounced up and down on the center cushion. Nick noticed two things immediately. He was not unfamiliar with the Great Detective, or with Sir Barker Collie Doyle. In fact, Nick remembered a part of “A Scandal in Barkemia” where Sherbark and Doctor Barkson were discussing the subject of observation. Hounds pointed out…

 

**“ _You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear. For example, you have frequently seen the steps which lead up from the hall to this room.”_**

**_“Frequently.”_ **

**_“How often?”_ **

**_“Well, some hundreds of times.”_ **

**_“Then how many are there?”_ **

**_“How many? I don't know.”_ **

**_“Quite so! You have not observed. And yet you have seen. That is just my point. Now, I know that there are seventeen steps, because I have both seen and observed_.”**

 

As Judy leaned his way to snag a spoonful of dip, Nick did a little observation of his own. The neckline of Judy’s sweater opened enough to grant him a generous view of her right breast. Nick grinned. “Since this is a Sherbark Hounds film, let me start. Did you forget something?”

 

Her eyes stayed glued to the screen, but she answered. “What are you talking about?”

 

“You are not wearing a certain article of clothing.”

 

Without realizing her reaction, Judy immediately put her arms up to cross over her chest. Then, seeing Nick begin to get that smug look, she huffed. “I don’t know what you mean.”

 

“You’re not wearing a bra, Carrots,” he said as he paused the film.

 

“How do you know that?”

 

“Elementary, my dear Judy,” he said arrogantly. “Although your size is not very full, you have enough to have a definite movement of your breasts. Second, your nipples are showing through the fabric of your sweater. Normally, your bra would restrain your breasts from bouncing, and your nipples from protruding. Well? How’s that for deduction, Sherbark Fluff?”

Judy blew out an angry snort. “Nick? Shut up and let’s watch the movie.”

 

**Chapter Five: The Opening Curtain**

 

**CAST of the Hound of the Bassetvilles** :

Sherlock Holmes is Sherbark Hounds (Greyhound breed)

Doctor James Watson is Doctor James Barkson (Boxer breed)

Dr. James Mortimer is Doctor Malamute (Malamute breed)

Mrs. Hudson is Mrs. Houndson (Husky breed)

Sir Henry is Sir Henry Bassetville (Basset beed)

Jack & Beryl Stapleton are Jack and Beryl Stipplehund (Basset breed)

Barrymore is Briardmutt (Briard breed)

Frankland is Frankhund (Schnauzer breed)

 

The opening of the movie had a scrolling ‘color’ page referring to the history setting. 0-889 ( _1889 for human reference_ ) and “In all England” followed by Dartmoor, Devonshire. Judy shuddered at the eerie music and the hauntingly dim and sinister background. The scene opened with the sound of a ghostly howl followed close by a basset-man running through the fog of a desolate countryside. He staggers, clutching his chest, and falls. Judy shivered as a mangy dog-man appears to swipe the fallen Basset’s pocket watch. Reaching out to snag some of the BBQ chips, her hand brushed Nick’s. Engrossed in the movie, Judy barely recognized the touch. Nick, however, noticed that she had moved closer to him, but still had not come off the cushion.

 

A scream broke Nick’s thoughts, and he looked back at the screen. “What just happened?”

 

“Sir Charles Bassetville just died,” Judy said, shushing him. “Now listen. Doctor Malamute is going to testify at a coroner’s hearing…”

 

On the screen, a handsome dog-man in a dark semi-formal suit tells the group that his examination of the deceased indicated that Sir Charles died of heart failure. A dour Schnauzer, Mister Frankhund, contested the finding by claiming that Sir Charles was murdered. Doctor Malamute indicated that when he examined the body, there as not a mark on him. And, the footprints at the scene showed that Sir Charles had been running back toward Bassetville Hall. Regardless of the claims of murder, the Coroner ruled that COD was heart failure.

 

When the scene shifted to Houndon, circa 0-889, Nick touched PAUSE. Going quickly to the kitchen, Nick and Judy refilled their snack plates. Judy brushed against him at least twice as they maneuvered around the snack table, and he was now certain. Nick could see a hot pink blush fill the concave surface of Judy’s ears. So far, Nick’s knowledge of his partner’s physiology indicated she was embarrassed. He was about to apologize when Judy asked him a question.

 

“Did you notice?”

 

The apology died in his throat. “Uh … Did I notice what?”

 

“What was missing from the evidence at the Coroner’s report?”

 

Nick breathed a brief sigh and then munched of a pretzel as he tried to think. “I don’t know. Doctor Malamute indicated that Sir Charles was running toward Bassetville Hall from the way his footprints seemed to show on the garden pathway. If he wasn’t in good shape, or had a heart condition, then his diagnosis of heart failure could be the only justifiable outcome. So… What did I miss?”

 

“You are Barkson, Nick. Actually, you are missing a key piece of evidence that the Coroner did not have concerning Sir Charles’ death. Doyle’s version added another set of footprints…”

 

“Hold up, Carrots… The book had evidence not provided in the film? You can’t have that. Pray tell, Hounds. Why would the movie leave out such a clue?”

 

“I think it will come into the movie at a later time.” Judy grinned as he put her plate down on the low table. “In the book, Sir Charles ran back toward the Hall as the Coroner and Doctor Malamute said. What was not said was that his footprints were on the center of the path. A second set of prints were found on the outside of the path…”

 

“Well?”

 

Judy’s voice went low and grave. “They were those of a giant wild dog…”

 

**Chapter Six: Doctor James Malamute**

 

Nick swallowed his beer a little faster than he intended, and coughed. “Wild dog? Since the story is filmed with Canids, how did they justify using a wild dog as the monster?”

 

“And spoil the effect of a vicious killer? Think of someone more sinister than a Timber Wolf,”: Judy said as she pressed PLAY. “Think wolfhound.”

 

Nick nodded. He knew about some of the Canid breeds, and the wolfhound was an exceptionally large beast. Big? That's putting it mildly. The Forest _Wolfhound_ is an immense, muscular Canid. A fully mature male might stand roughly 8 feet 3 inches tall and weigh 360 pounds. This breed was the tallest of the hounds. Looking up at the TV, he barely saw a newspaper clipping from the  Houndon Times provided the news of the death of Sir Charles Bassetville, and a second clipping announcing the arrival of Sir Henry Bassetville, the now-heir to the Bassetville Estate.

 

The scene shifted to the exterior of an old apartment house, and centered briefly on the address of 221 Baker Street. In the B apartment upstairs, a pudgy Boxer breed dog was studying the newspaper clipping concerning Sir Henry Bassetville. Sitting in a chair and wearing a smoking jacket, a greyhound breed was reading another paper. A meerschaum pipe was clasped between his teeth, but the bowl was cold. 

 

**_“I'm blasted if I know why on earth you want all these clippings about this_ ** **_Bassetville_ ** **_fellow,” Doctor Barkson complained as he put the clipping down with some distaste._ **

**_Hounds put down his paper._ **

**_“I have an idea, Barkson, that young Sir Henry isn't destined for a very long existence in this world.”_** ** _“What?” Barkson looked at his companion in surprise._** ** _“My conjecture is that he'll be murdered.”_** ** _“Murdered?”  
_****_“It would be very interesting to see if my deductions are accurate.”_** ** _Just then, the door to the apartment opened, and a slender Husky-breed bitch came in carrying a walking stick. She held it out to Hounds and indicated that a gentlehound had left it._** ** _“He asked you to give this to me?”_** ** _“Oh, no, sir, he just left it by mistake, I imagine. - Mm-hmm.”_** ** _“A Doctor Malamute?”_** ** _“He didn't leave his name, sir.”_** ** _“No, it's here on the stick, Mrs. Houndson.”_** ** _“Oh, is it? I didn't notice.” Judy giggled softly as the Consulting Detective glanced at Barkson._** ** _“Do you know any Dr. Malamute, Barkson?”_** ** _“No?”_** ** _“What did he want?” Sherbark asked the landlady._** ** _“He didn't say, sir.”_** **Hounds dismissed Mrs. Houndson, and Sherbark turned to his friend, and held out the stick.** **When Barkson took it, he knew that Hounds was playing a game with him. Sherbark solved many a baffling case by using the science of deduction. After a brief examination, Barkson tried to appear knowledgeable of the clues.** ** _“Well, I should say that Dr. Malamute is a successful man. well esteemed. I should say that he does a great deal of his visiting on foot, because the iron ferrule is worn down. - Perfectly sound. Let's have a look at this inscription. ‘From his friends of the C.C.H., C.C.H. I should say that's the something or other hunt club,” Barkson concluded._**  At that point, Judy reached out and tapped the PAUSE button. “All right, Nick. Did Doctor Barkson get everything right?” “Come on, Carrots,” Nick returned disgustedly. “Everyone knows this guy can’t be a true detective. Sherbark baits him with things like this. As far as I’m concerned, Barkson is in these stories to provide comic relief. Sherbark is the real brains here.” He reached out and was about to tap PLAY when he hesitated. Because of her interest in the film, Nick knew he had to play along with her. “Okay… What did Barkson miss, Carrots?” Judy grinned. “C.C.H. was a gift, probably from a hospital since Malamute is a Doctor, and the C.C.  is the name of the hospital. I’d say it is ‘Collie Cross’ using English names. Furthermore, I'd say that Doctor Malamute had a small practice in the country, and had a young pup as a servant…” “Come again?” Judy pointed at the screen to the barrel of the walking stick at some marks. “These marks, that Hounds will eventfully show to Barkson, indicates the pup often follows his Master with the stick held between his teeth – holding it at the ready should his Master require it. And one more thing… The good doctor will be coming back to get it anytime now.” Satisfied, Judy tapped PLAY and sat back with her bowl of pomegranate chocolates. As she had predicted, the handsome malamute Doctor came in soon after. Hounds received the Doctor graciously, and then began to calmly collect the answers to his deductions. The walking stick was indeed given to the Doctor from his friends at Collie Cross Hospital.   
  
Nick was only paying scant attention to the film as it progressed. The introduction of Doctor Malamute and his agreement with the Consulting Detective that Sir Henry Bassetville was not long for this world. He did cock an ear when the good Doctor recounted the horrible fate that seemed to befall every male heir who occupied Bassetville Hall. Nick was becoming quite aware that Judy had put down her snack plate, and had then placed her hand near his thigh… Then, he somewhat jarred back to the conversation when Judy pointed at the screen… Malamute was speaking, and Nick felt the fur on the back of his neck rise as the Doctor came to a certain place in the dialogue…  ** _“…_** **** _but there was one point which I kept back from the police, from everybody._

**_About 50 yards from where Sir Charles fell dead were footprints.”_ **

**_“A man's or a woman's?” Sherbark asked intensely._ **

**_Malamute lowered his voice dramatically. “Mister Hounds, they were the footprints of a gigantic wild dog and, as a doctor, I do know the characteristics of a canine footprint.”_ ** ****__  
  


“There!” Judy said as she quickly tapped PAUSE. “There’s the clue I wanted to hear! Mister Frankhund was right! Sir Charles was murdered by the shock of encountering his family’s legendary killer.” “Careful, Fluff,” Nick interjected. “You know we need solid evidence for murder. So far, we have death from a heart attack. The wild dog is the cause of that, yes, but you need proof the beast had intent, or was clearly the tool of the real killer. We also don’t know that that the wild dog is part of a legend connected with the Bassetvilles. Finally, we hardly recognize that this wild dog is as evolved as… well, as I am….” A small bit of warmth touched his leg. Glancing down, he saw Judy’s small paw resting just above his knee. Looking up, he saw concern in those beautiful amethysts eyes. Mentally, Nick knew she was sincere, and only wanted to comfort him. But, the paw also radiated a sense of intimacy… “Vulpines aren’t dogs, Nick,” Judy said quietly. “They’re more intelligent, and quite capable of being loyal and trustworthy – and before you say anything, just remember who your partner is and who has your back…” Judy looked down and realized her paw had moved upward on his thigh, dangerously close to his groin. She hurriedly snatched her paw away and then she stood. “Uh… need anything? Another beer? Some chips?” “Some of those blueberry chocolates would be nice,” Nick grinned. “ _Nervous are we, Fluff_?” he chuckled as he followed her into the kitchen. Once again, he looked down at the erotic twitch of her tail as she walked. In thinking that way, he was also beginning to be aware of his body reacting to her sensuality. How many times this week alone has he handled himself while thinking of her on his bed, or impaled on his lap…? “Nick?” He blinked. “What?” “What are you thinking about?” 

“ _Wouldn’t you like to know…?_ ” he muttered, then quickly raised his voice to speaking level. “Do you know what’s going to happen?”

 

Judy chuckled. “Of course I do. I told you before that I like Sherbark Hounds stories, and this movie is one of Sir Barker Collie Doyle’s most famous ones.”

 

“And yet you react, or should I say ‘respond’, to the film as if you don’t know.”

 

Putting a dollop of Nick’s seasoned dip on her plate, Judy selected a small mound of chips from each flavor. Then, she filled her bowl with some trail mix. “Come on, Nick! Watching a movie is like being there. Surely you nearly peed in your fur when we saw some of your horror flicks. You remember ‘Giraffic Park’?”

 

‘Yeah,” Nick replied sheepishly as he half-filled his bowl with the blueberry chocolates. “Although I think you screamed louder.”

 

Rearranged on the couch, Judy tapped the PLAY button. The DVD started at a point where Doctor Malamute brought out a handwritten set of parchments. He then began to read an account of the Legend of Hound of the Bassetvilles… ‘ **** _In the time of the Great Rebellion (0-650), Bassetville Manor was held by Yugo of that name, a profane and godless man_ …”  
  


Nick glanced at Judy, and noted that she was once more paying rapt attention to the movie. Judy was right... Something about watching a movie, especially when they watch it on the “Big Screen,” brings you into the action. You are no longer sitting in a seat. You are piloting a starfighter through space, engaged in a twisting dangerous dance of death. You are in a race car and there is a multiple car crash ahead full of explosions created by pierced fuel tanks and flying debris. You are running through an inferno, seconds ahead of being trapped behind walls of flame… You are in a tunnel, and you look up to see a large round boulder rolling at you….

 

He grinned as he sampled some of the dip with the BBQ chips. Some of that action was almost commonplace out on the streets where Judy and he patrolled in a police cruiser. Today, they had a code 10-37 of a possible crime in progress. A car with three mammals had pulled into a convenience store, and was fueling up. However, the clerk in the store island recognized the perps from a neighborhood watch, and the call went out. Nick had responded to dispatch and Judy piloted the cruiser to the store. The moment the driver of the suspicious car saw the ZPD cruiser, he quickly put the fueling nozzle back into the pump. At that point, Judy hit the lights, and was rewarded with the perps pulling out, and accelerating toward a motorway onramp.

 

From that moment on, Nick was not in any scripted car chase. Both Judy and he were in a frightening chase that could have had severe outcomes for everyone involved. Lives and property were on the line as dispatch added to the chase – the number plate identified the car as being stolen as a code 503 came over the radio.

 

What was the difference?

 

Without too much debate, Nick silently answered his own question… Watching this movie, he was safe… None of the action would affect him physically. Casualties were forgotten practically after they happened. Other people suffered. The most important point? He could turn off the video any time…

 

**“…** ****_Then, from just over a rise, they heard sounds so hideous that the blood froze in their veins, and looking up, they beheld..." Nick heard the actor say. "Before we could get at him, Sir Yugo was dead, his body literally torn to shreds.”_  
  


The screen showed what looked like a giant dog-beast outlined in cold blue-white flames. His mouth was open, showing vicious fangs, and just as the frame came back to Hounds, Barkson and Malamute, the evil wild dog let out a ghastly howl…

 

**“ _AAAaaaRrrrrrrrrrrOoooooooooo_!!!”**

 

Although the ‘monster’ had its shock value, Nick was not prepared for its effect on Judy. She was no longer on the central cushion. After a brief gasp, she now was wrapped around his arm. If he was wondering about her wearing a bra or not, he was now positive she was not. In addition, his leg was now in a very enticing place between her thighs. Although he could not feel anything definite, he did notice a warmth…

**_“By the by, Dr. Malamute, do you have a son?”_ **

**_“I don’t have any pups, sir.”_ **

**_“Then how do you account for these marks? Evidently the teeth marks of a medium-sized dog.”_ **

**_“I used to have a servant, a Spaniel, but he had to leave my service. For some reason, he had an affectation about having his paws free to aid me at a moment’s notice. So, he kept the stick in his mouth when I made my rounds. Good night.”_ **

**_“Good night._** **”** __  
  


**Chapter Seven: First Intermission**

 

Judy suddenly became aware of where she was, and the delicate position she was in. She was also certain that Nick was aware of her because her knee was encountering part of his growing arousal. The film continued through Sir Henry’s arrival and his boarding a carriage with Doctor Malamute to convey him to his room at the Northundercloud Hotel. Her ears drooped in embarrassment as she carefully eased off his leg and tried to tap the PAUSE button. She missed the first time, and managed on the second try to stop the movie.

 

“I, uh, need another beer,” she stammered. “Do you…?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Nick was more than aware that he was aroused. Watching Judy dash into the kitchen did not help matters at all. Reaching for a slice of pizza, he realized the wedges on the plate were cold. Getting up was somewhat difficult, but he managed to reach the microwave without dropping the plate. Sliding the pizza plate inside, he set the timer for a minute.

 

“ _What’s wrong with me?_ ” Nick tried to reason out why he was bothered by this reaction to looking at Judy’s ass? He has seen this view before. In fact, every day he was on duty with her. He had definitely made-out with other females but not a bunny. Once or twice, Judy even allowed him to touch her intimately. “ _What’s different about it this time?_ ”

 

The microwave chimed – breaking his concentration. He shook his head, and then placed the plate on the counter. Glancing at Judy, he saw that she had found the stepstool, and she was trying to retrieve another bowl. Even standing on her tiptoes, the bowl was just out of reach.

 

“Here, let me…” he got out a moment before she slipped. Nick was there in time to catch her…

 

Her scent was intoxicating as he cradled her in his arms. He had never held her this close, or so intimately as this. Staring down into her eyes, he seemed to discover bands of magenta radiating through the amethyst. Slightly above that viewpoint, he noted a warm pink coloring the interior of her ears… a sure sign she was embarrassed. Still… she did not struggle. Her nostrils flared, and her nose twitched as if to ask his intensions. Then, there was the feel of her body against his chest…

 

“Nick?”

 

“Yes?” he replied softly. His view had slipped downward, and he noted her lips were curled in a smirk.

 

“First, my eyes are up here,” she drawled and pointed. “And, you’re close enough for me to either passionately French-kiss you, or bite your nose.”

 

He grinned, locking his eyes with hers. “I’d prefer the former over the latter.”

 

“Done!”

 

Not too long ago, they had experimented in kissing because of the difference in facial anatomy. Nick’s muzzle was long and narrow compare to hers, which was short and wide. After several laughingly, aborted attempts, they finally matched their mouths just right, and the result was…

 

“…wow…”

 

Judy sighed as they released the kiss. Once more, the feeling that came over her seemed to conjure a voice that urged her to order him into someplace more private and…

 

“Carrots? If we do any more of this, then I’m going to show you that guest room in more detail.”

 

“I might take you up on that, Nick,” she said softly; her breath light and rapid. “Later….”

 

Gently, he set her down on her feet, and then he reached up to retrieve the bowl Judy had tried to get.

 

“I almost had that,” she told him as she headed back to the couch with a beer and a pile of ranch and sour cream chips in a bowl like the one Nick was now holding.

 

“ _We both almost had something there_ ,” he murmured as he picked up the four different flavored bags of chips, and poured some of each into the rescued bowl. Then, he picked up a smaller bowl and poured the rest of the Creekside fruit-center dark chocolates to it. When he returned to the couch, he found Judy ready to use his thigh as a couch cushion… Not that he minded… Not that he minded at all….

 

Sure enough, Judy waited until he settled and then put the pizza plate on his thigh. The bowls yielded their places while Nick and Judy ate the wedges of soy-cheese pizza. Judy touched PREV, and then PLAY, and the movie switched over to the Houndon docks to introduce a handsome basset hound in his prime. A whippet and her mother tried to corner his attention and his company, but Doctor Malamute intervened. He manages to get the young hound into a cab and had only one mishap – a rock shattered a side window, and they discovered a note that consisted of words cut from a newspaper and pasted on the note paper. Then, there was a revolver pointed at the pair from a curtained Hansom cab….

 

Arriving at 221B Baker Street, they give the note to Sherbark: **“ _As you value your life, or your reason Keep away from the MOOR_.”** Before he could ask, Nick received the answer to his question. Doctor Malamute passed the note to Sherbark. The Consulting Detective pointed at the hand-written word and nodded.

 

**_“_ ** **_The words have been snipped from The Houndon Times, that's evident from the typography. But the word "moor" is an unusual word. Your correspondent evidently couldn't find the word in the newspaper.”_ **

 

Judy took a bite of the cheese pizza, swallowed, and nodded like the gesture made by the greyhound. “An unorthodox delivery method, wouldn’t it you say, Nick?”

 

He smiled gently at her cosplay. Watching movies like this made playing parts very easy. In fact, he couldn’t blame her.  “I must agree with that. What does it mean, Hounds?”

 

“Hush!” Judy said suddenly. “This part has an important clue in it. Listen!”

**_‘Tell me, Sir Henry, has anything else unusual happened to you today since your arrival in Houndon?”_ **

**_‘I can't think of anything, unless you'd say that losing one of your boots is unusual.”_ **

**_“You lost one of your boots?”_ **

**_“Yes, and brand-new, tan ones too, never had them on. I put them outside the door to be cleaned, and when I went to fetch them, there was only one there_** **.”**  


Judy quickly reached out and tapped the PAUSE button. “Later, try to remember this incident, and then another one that follows it.” She tapped PLAY again.

 

The movie plot added a mysterious person in a hansom cab who seems to be shadowing Sir Henry. After the two gentlehounds leave, Hounds and Barkson follow them. They are just in time to discourage the unseen shadow from firing a revolver. Later, when the cabbie was questioned by Hounds as to his fare, the cabbie replied that Sherbark Hounds, the detective, ordered him to drive off.

 

And then there was the lost tan boot…

**_“Oh, by the by. - Did you ever discover your mislaid boot? – No?” Hounds asked._ **

**_“Hello.” Sir Henry replied, picking up a black boot and pointing at a brown boot. “The brown one's here, but one of the black one's gone.”_ **

 

Judy paused the movie again. “Let’s see if you can guess or deduce this event. What is so important about losing the new tan boot, only to get it back, and then lose the old black one?”

 

“Somebody playing a prank on Sir Henry?” Nick replied, feeding Judy a blueberry chocolate. “Come on, Carrots. Suspense writers put things like this in their stories all the time to throw their readers off.”

 

Judy snorted and stuck her tongue out. “Barkson…”

 

“So mature…” he replied.

 

**Chapter Eight: Sir Henry Bassetville**

 

After the plot moved past the stage joke about the hansom driver having a passenger that had the identity of Sherbark Hounds, and Sherbark being amused about the description: **“ _He was I supposed about and dressed like a toff. Had a small black beard_ ….”** The story then turned to Sir Henry. The young heir to the Bassetville Estate was bound and determined to journey to Dartmoor, and begin his residence. He had already indicated that he did not believe in the legend of the Hound…  


“Hold on a sec, Carrots,” Nick interrupted. “Where is this Dartmoor?”

 

Judy huffed and paused the movie. “At this rate, we’ll get to the ending about sunrise. Dartmoor is part of the county of Devon in Southeast Britain. And before you ask, a toff is an upper-class person who was born into their wealth. The description is not complimentary. Anything else?”

 

Grinning, Nick took a moment to sip his beer. “What’s wrong with watching the sunrise? The guest room has a nice view of it recently.” He chuckled as her ears glowed pink, and she hurriedly taped PLAY.

 

When Sir Henry indicated his intent to go to Dartmoor immediately, Doctor Malamute asked for Hounds to accompany them. The Detective replied that he had pressing business in Houndon and could not do so. Instead, he proposed that Doctor Barkson go with them, and keep daily reports. __  
  


The scene changed to show an expanse of grass, rocks and hardy trees. Sir Henry listened intensely as Doctor Malamute describes Dartmoor.  ** _“_** ** _Here we are, Sir Henry, on famous Dartmoor, and what a history it has. You see those rocks over there? Actually, they're stone houses built by Neolithic man. You don't suppose the Bassetvilles go back that far? And over there, beyond that hill, those dark spots. That's the Great Chimpdom Mire, as treacherous a morass as exists anywhere. Thousands of lives have been sucked down into its bottomless depths.”_**  


Nick felt Judy shiver. “Would you like a blanket, Carrots?”

 

“M-maybe later, thank you.” Judy gave his leg a gentle squeeze, and almost regretted it. She could tell he was sincere in the offer. Because of that, she wanted to snuggle closer to him. “ _Well? Why not?_ ” With a little daring on her part, she leaned in against his left arm and hip. “Actually, this will do quite nicely.”

 

“Uh, huh…” he drawled. He playfully dangled a chocolate over her, and then dropped it in her open mouth. “So… this is homecoming for Sir Henry. Who are these two?”

 

“The male is Briardmutt, the butler, and his wife, Missus Briardmutt,” Judy replied, and then pointed to the screen. Doctor Malamute descended from the wagon and gestured at the main building of the estate. “Bassetville Hall…”

 

As Doctor Barkson followed, they went into the lower floor and into a large room that radiated age. Briardmutt gestured in a manner to include the entire interior. **“ _Bassetville Hall. And just as it's always been, Sir Henry. Your uncle did some modernizing upstairs, ...but down here nothing has been added_**

**_or taken away since Sir Yugo's time_ ** **.”**

 

Nick paused the movie. “I’ve noticed that equines are cabbies and coach drivers as well as the draft animals…” He then backed the movie to the scene of the arrival. In front of the coach, two strong draft horses stood in a configuration similar to a Hansom cab. The horse-beings stood upright and used a shoulder harness to pull the cab, which had an occupancy of four medium-size mammals. The draft horse had stopped and was about to adjust the straps when Nick paused the movie,

 

“Many of the larger mammals once served as transport animals,” Judy replied. “Now, thanks to the internal combustion motor, they tend to mostly stay in authoritative positions such as conductors, transport supervisors, CEOs of our rail system, and the like. I must say that they did a good job of researching the tack for the mammals in this film.” She tapped PLAY, took a good swallow of her beer, and patted his biceps before pressing against him again.

 

Briardmutt showed Sir Henry, Doctor Barkson and Doctor Malamute to their rooms on the second floor, and all seemed okay until Sir Henry suddenly interrupted Doctor Barkson’s letter to Hounds. Neither Judy or Nick missed the slow turn of Barkson’s doorknob, and that Barkson drew his revolver.

**_“Come quickly, someone's prowling around.”  Sir Henry said quietly. Soon, they found the butler with a candle at one of the outside second-story windows._ **

**_“What are you doing, Briardmutt?” Sir Henry demanded_ **

**_“Oh, nothing, sir,” the butler relied hesitantly. “It was the window.”_ **

**_“The window?”_ **

**_“Yes, sir, I was just seeing that it was fastened.”_ **

**_“Well, does it matter whether it's fastened or not, the window on the second floor?’_ **

**_“I go around every night, seeing that they're fastened. Sir Charles always insisted upon it.”_ **

**_“Well,” Doctor Barkson said, “that sounds reasonable enough.”_ **

**_“Well, if it's properly fastened now,” Sir Henry said tersely. “Briardmutt, you can get back to bed.”_ **

**_“Yes, sir, thank you_ ** **.” _Barkson and Sir Henry waited until the butler left them, and then they crowded around the window._**

**_“Do you see anything?” Barkson asked._ **

**_“Nothing. Nothing except… a pinpoint of light a long way off,” Sir Henry said, pointing, “over there by the crags. ”He picked up the candle the butler had left behind. “Well, keep your eye on that point of light, and tell me what happens.” Sir Henry said, holding the candle up to the window. He then moved it up and down. “Do you see anything now?”_ **

**_“It's gone now.”_ **

**_“There it is again,” Barkson said. “and there it goes.”_ **

**_“Just as I thought.” Sir Henry snorted. “Briardmutt was signaling someone. Come on, get some clothes. We'll find out. It's still there.”_ **

 

“You’re kidding me,” Nick growled as the two canines took up pistol and revolver. “They’re going out into a dark and forbidding place full of rocks, mires and…”

 

“ **Arrrrrroooooooooooo!!!”** __  
  


“Don’t forget the puppy dog,” Judy chuckled nervously.   


“Oh, yes, don’t forget the Pooka that wants to use Sir Henry as a chew toy,” Nick added.

 

Nick and Judy quieted down as the film progressed to what appears to be an occupied cavern. They noticed that the stump of torch burns in a rocky holder, but there is no sign of whoever was hiding here. As Barkson and Sir Henry crouched down to wait for the occupant to return, both Judy and Nick became aware of their backup weapons. Nick eased his hand into the right leg pocket of his cargo pants, and carefully took out his revolver. He was about to lay it on the table when Judy got up.

 

“We don’t want an accident, do we?” she said as she held out her paw out for the hand weapon. When she received Nick’s revolver, she put it down on the table. She smirked as she saw him looking her over.

 

“Let me guess,” Nick said after blowing out a soundless whistle. “In that outfit, I’d say the small of the back – above the tail.”

 

“Wrong! Close, though. Under the tail,” Judy grinned as she released the tail flap, and pulled what might be called a derringer from an especially tooled holster. “A perp could get a paw on it above the tail. Fess up, Nick. You thought that’s where I’d hide my second piece, right?”

 

“Yeah…” he replied, watching her closely as she made an obvious show of where the pistol had been, and then she removed the holster. He also noticed that she did not close the flap… then, he picked up the smaller weapon. Expertly, Nick made sure the piece was safe, and then snapped the cylinder open. “Good choice, Carrots. Five-shot small caliber revolver firing hollow-point shells. Even the Chief would respect this one.” He flicked the cylinder back in, and secured the piece before putting it on the table.

 

“What about you, Nick?”

 

He grinned as he reclaimed his beer. “I’d respect you just pointing your finger at me. Don’t you think that’s just a bit risqué? I mean, what if you had to pull out that piece in a public place…?”

 

“It’s in a pocket under my right cheek,” she chuckled, slapping her rump. “You only know it’s there if you’re a steady date.”

 

“And I am…?” Nick asked nonchalantly.

 

“A royal pain in the ass,” Judy giggled musically. Reclaiming her beer and her snack bowl, she slid back into place beside Nick. “Let’s get back to the movie.”

 

**Chapter Nine: The Stipplehunds**

 

“Crackers!” she swore. “We missed the escaped convict and Sir Henry meeting Jack and Beryl Stipplehund…”

 

“Who?”

 

Judy reached over and retrieved the remote. “The convict is Important later on, but the Stipplehunds are main characters. We can continue from here. The young lady is Beryl Stipplehund, and Sir Henry is quickly smitten by her.”

 

Although the movie had progressed while Nick and Judy were talking, they decided that a summary of what they missed would do.  As usual, Judy indicated two smaller bassets now on the screen, and then she introduced the Stipplehunds – brother and sister. Jack seemed to be very amiable, and quite interested in the countryside and its storehouse of geological and archeological sites. Beryl just enjoyed riding a type of bicycle that Judy described as an old model foot-pedal ATV. At this point, Beryl had just prevented Sir Henry from walking into one of the of the quicksand pits that the Great Chimpdon Mire was known for.

**_“Dr. Barkson, Sir Henry? This is my stepsister, Miss Beryl_ ** **_Stipplehund_ ** **,” Jack Stipplehund said as he e** **xtended a paw. “ _You must both come and dine with me.”_**

**_“You must come to us first,” Beryl countered good-naturedly._ **

**_“Yes,” Jack nodded. “What about tomorrow night, you and Dr. Barkson? We'll invite the neighbors_ **

**_over to meet you. Of course, you already know Dr. Malamute. The only other one's old Mr. Frankhund..”_** __  
  


“Isn’t he the troublemaker at the Coroner’s court?” Nick asked.

 

“Yes,” Judy said between bites of BBQ chips. “He claimed that Sir Charles was murdered, but never gave anyone any clues as to how he knows that the death of Sir Charles was a homicide. Here, he just comes across as comic relief. Along with the murder charge, he also claims that his host, Jack Stippplehund, has committed ‘body snatching’. As a finishing trait, Frankhund likes to sue anyone and everyone.”

 

Nick was more than aware of Judy now. Having her in the confines of the police cruiser was bad enough. With her pressed up against him, he could smell a lavender scent he knew as being her pheromones. The warmth of her body was making him squirm slightly as well.

**“ _Tell us more, Mr. Frankhund,” Sir Henry asked jovially. “Whose body has Mr. Stipplehund been snatching?”_**

**_“According to my evidence, sir,“ the Schnauzer gentlehound insisted. “Mr. Stipplehund was seen digging among the old stone huts in the moor, and removed from there a skull.”_ **

**_“Oh, that!” Jack laughed lightly. “A most interesting relic, Sir Henry, of Neolithic man. I'll show it to you after dinner.”_ **

**_“Nonetheless, sir,” Frankhund growled. “You removed it from the grave without the consent of the next of kin, and according to British law, that constitutes body snatching. Deny that if you can._ ** **”**

_  
_ “He’s right,” Judy said, chomping on a pretzel. She suffered Nick a glance of irritation as he moved slightly out of his comfortable posture. “That’s a misdemeanor…”

 

“A little jail time and a fine,” Nick said as he finished the blueberry chocolates. “Someone like Stipplehund could probably squeeze through that without very much trouble.” Nick leaned back on the couch, causing Judy to quickly sit up and then reposition herself along his flank. In doing that, Nick had little or no choice but to put his arm around her waist, which created some other contact in the process.  


“I haven’t had that many beers yet, Slick.”

 

“Consider it ‘couch rental’, Fluff,” he said, squeezing his hand and the enticing globe of downy fur covering her left breast. “You’ve been having some fun lately, and I thought I’d return the favor. What’s happening now?”

 

Judy managed to push his hand away before looking at the screen. “Maybe later… after you’ve earned the privilege… Uh… A dinner party from the looks of it. You know, Nick? I bet you would look good in a tuxedo like the males are wearing here. Social events are coming up, you know.”

 

“And you in a skirt, a dress or a gown?”

 

“What’s so difficult about that?” she grinned. The Fall and then the more formal Winter Festival would give both of them a good ‘dressing-up’. ”What’s your choice?”

 

Nick paused to think this over. Dressed in sweater and jeans showed her figure well enough… “Well, if I’m in a tux, then I vote for a gown.” His hand went up to stop her answer. “A slinky one – something that would make me wanna bring you here right-a-way, and ravish you.”

 

Although Judy felt her heart beat hard in her chest, she recovered quickly. “Then I’ve got just the right number for you.”

 

**“** _Gentlehounds, gentlehounds,_ ” Nick heard Doctor Malamute’s voice interrupt. “ _My wife has consented! She's agreed to a séance! Please come at once!_ ”  
  


“A séance?” Nick looked at the screen in disbelief. “As in ‘Squeegy board’ and dimly lit rooms?”

 

Judy giggled again and scooted in close to Nick. “Oh, yes! Mammals during this time loved this sort of thing, Missus Malamute loved the occult, and was supposed to be good at it **! ‘ _Turn out the lights’_.”**

 

“Pardon me if I seem skeptical,” Nick sneered, but he did turn off the nearby table lamp. The room dimmed immediately, and flickered as the movie characters moved about.

 

“That’s because you know how scams work. Now hush!”

 

Nick gasped slightly as Judy plopped a bowl of trail mix in his lap and leaned on his thigh to scoop up a handful and munch contentedly on the chocolate bits, and the various fruits and nuts.

 

**_“Now, tonight we may communicate with Sir Charles, find out what he feared so greatly, what he was running away from._ ** **”** __  
  


On the screen, the characters formed a loose circle around a dimly-lit sitting room. The fire in the hearth added to the mood as Missus Malamute composed herself and appeared to slip into a trance.

**_“Sir Henry, your hand, please? Sir Charles, can you speak to us? Let us know if you're present. There are things that only you can explain. Speak to us, Sir Charles, if you're here. There are things that only you can tell us. Sir Charles, can you speak to us?”_ **

**_AAAAAAAaaaaaarrrrrroooooooooooo!!!_ **

****

**_Beryl Stipplehund grimaced as the ghostly sound echoed out on the moor. “That sound. I've heard it before._ ** **_”_ **

**_“It's nothing,” Sir Henry said soothingly to her. “Nothing but the wind. Or a bittern. I was telling Doctor Barkson only yesterday about it….”_** __  
  


Nick glanced at Judy and noted her posture. When she dipped her hand into the bowl, the metal container contacted and rubbed against a sensitive part of his anatomy. Was she aware of it? The howl was familiar, too. Like a timber wolf, but deeper and more sinister if such a tone could come from their throats. Then, as the tension increased…

_  
**AAAAAAAaaaaaarrrrrroooooooooooo!!!**_

****

**_“Oh, I can't stand it.” Beryl leaned into Sir Henry. “Would somebody put on the lights, please?”_ **

**_“I tell you it's nothing, nothing but the wind.”_ **

**_“Mr. Frankhund,” Doctor Barkson asked as gas lamps were lit. “What did you think it was?”_ **

**_“The hound, of course,” the Schnauzer replied almost at a whisper. “The hound of the Bassetvilles. Any fool would know that!”_ **

**_“James, get my cape,” Missus Malamute said, clearly in distress. “Take me home.”_ **

**_“Very well, my dear.”_** __  
  


As the party broke up, Nick tried his best not to yield to what his body was urging him to do. When the ghastly howl sounded a second time, her hand slipped and missed the bowl. This time, there was no doubt she could miss his arousal. Judy’s ears drooped behind her head as she quickly snatched the bowl from his lap, and stood. Nick reached over and tapped the PAUSE button.

 

“I think we need a breather, too,” he said quietly…

 

**Chapter Ten: Second Intermission**

 

Following Judy into the kitchen again, Nick did not help his condition by gazing at her tail and rounded figure. If anything, the attention on that gaze exacerbated his condition. His thoughts seemed to focus on her physique… not sinuous like a vixen… shorter… more rounded in the hips and thighs… a powderpuff tail that flicked at the center-point of a heart-shaped butt… Her beasts were on the small side, but then, he liked how she filled out her sweater enough to make things interesting. Tonight, she had dressed to entice – just like he once told her not to dwell on how much she had, but how she showed everything off. The jeans accented her lower body while the low-cut sweater emphasized two other curve sets… His mind processed that fact and then added it to his fantasies, and…

 

Judy somehow knew she was being looked over. Bunnies seemed to lock on a wavelength that males send out when they have focused on a female. Perhaps, she thought, the ears may play a part as she listened for the telltale signs from her partner this evening… quicker heartbeat, faster almost panting breaths… the low growling moan… A puff of her lavender pheromones told her one other factor – her fertile cycle had kicked in, and Judy knew her psyche had added one more thought to a growing list of them…

 

“I need to go to the bathroom…” they announced simultaneously.

 

Judy’s ears pinked as Nick tried to hide his arousal. “I can wait. Go ahead.”

 

This time, Judy did not argue… Trying not to appear hurried, she entered the bathroom and closed the door with her back pressed solidly against its surface. Her heart was pounding in her chest as if a crazed bass drummer had taken up residence and decided to practice a jungle jazz cadence. Pressing a paw against her heart, she was also aware of a warmth… Her body temp had risen by two or three degrees… Her paw slid down her belly and over her pubic, and discovered a wetness in the labia of her sex. The more she examined herself – the more things added up. What was it that Sherbark used to summarize his deductions?

 

**“… _when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth._ ” [“Sign of the Four,” Chapter 6]**

 

“The truth…” Judy muttered a she hopped over to a footstool, and then positioned it at the sink. All the appliances and fixtures were made primarily for a medium class mammal, but some work had been done to accommodate smaller species…  

 

Like a bunny…

 

Amethyst eyes widened. Her symptoms told her that a male was stimulating her hormonal cycle. Rabbits were nearly always fertile, and only required an attractive male to put her in heat. The ‘who’ was becoming obvious…

 

She stepped back off the footstool, secured the hidden holster flap in the tail hole of her jeans, and then sat down on the covered seat of the toilet. The evidence… As an officer of the ZPD, she dealt with males of various species, both predator and prey. As she sifted through her memories, none of the contacts she had with them turned her on one little bit. Her fellow officers were on the same team, and likewise did not press that important button. One by one, Judy eliminated the males that could have triggered her cycle…

 

To the only one…

 

“Nick,” she sighed.

 

Suddenly, there was a soft tapping at the door. “Hey, Carrots? Didja fall in or something?”

 

Her heart suddenly went into double-time, and she closed her eyes. Nick had to be aware of her condition by now… She grabbed both ears and pulled them down over her face.

 

‘I’m fine…” she half-groaned.

 

There was a pause and then his voice sounded close to the door. “Was it something I said or did?”

 

“No,” she half-whispered and then sighed. She let go of her ears, and let them drift back over her neck and shoulders. A thought went through her brain that Nick once said that this pose made her look ‘pretty’, then ‘sexy’, and finally ‘cute.’ She shook her head. His use of the C-word usually earned him a set of knuckles to his shoulder… “Give me a minute or two.”

 

“I’ll be back at the couch, Judy.”

 

_Judy…_ He rarely used her first name, and, when he did, it meant he was hearing his sincere tone of voice. “Have a slice of pizza ready for me.”

 

“You got it.”

 

Nick tentatively reached for the doorknob, but his paw halted centimeters from it. Something was not right, but what? He glanced at the closed door, snorted a soft laugh, then went back toward the kitchen. As he placed a pizza slice on a plate, and slid it into the microwave, he inhaled – first through his nose and then through his open mouth. By doing that, he concentrated the scents around him. Something… This sense of familiarity had touched him before… now where…?

 

The mental answer and the microwave dinged at the same time. Looking back toward the bathroom, he shook his head. “ _Aw, no… Carrots…?_ ” Could this be the reason why she seemed to be nervous about her personal space? They still worked well enough as a team out on the field. But… she seemed uncomfortable about being with him in the cruiser and here on the couch… And then, what about her pheromones?

 

A certain part of his anatomy throbbed in answer to his question. Nick sighed. He remembered asking her about bunnies the first time the subject ‘arose’. Unlike a vixen’s one-to-six days, he knew that Judy did not have a set time. Her answer had startled him. ” _Bunnies usually go into heat when some male turns her on. When one does… look out!_ ” The answer finally gave him the missing link why Judy started wearing perfume… The floral scent was understandable. What was a problem now is whether to be sympathetic to his partner, or let this revelation feed his ego? “Soo _oo… Who’s the guy who’s got your panties all wet?_ ” Nick grinned as he took the pizza plate back to the couch, and put it in front of where Judy was sitting. The moment he saw the small revolver on the table, he quickly sobered.

 

Sitting down, he looked at the TV screen, and the grin faded completely. As partners, Judy and he depended on each other for protection and the completion of tactical goals. The Partner Trust had to be there, along with the team concept that made everyone in the ZPD a member of an extended family. Romance inside the ZPD threatened the mutual defense. If a relationship formed, then their concentration would be on each other before anyone else…

 

He reached out and retrieved his revolver. After slipping it into the pocket holster, eyes were drawn down to the derringer that was Judy’s backup piece. Checking the safety configuration, and finding it in order, Nick studied the smaller revolver. The loads were nearly half the size and strength as his. However, she made up for it by using hollow-point ammo. The bullet had the same weight and velocity as the regular shell, but a hollow-point shell has an expanding bullet that has a pit or hollowed out shape in its tip often intended to cause the bullet to expand upon entering a target. Thus, Judy carried firepower that could match larger guns. He chuckled at the thought of her firing anything larger than the small-mammal assault rifle.

 

“One charge would knock her on that powderpuff tail of hers.”

 

Something that he was already starting to experience… along with the reciprocal feelings he was sure Judy was now going through… He knew this feeling began somewhere toward the middle of Judy’s Night Howler case… in the Rainforest District… and the Sky Tram… That initial touch had made him nervous – nervous enough to immediately turn to a joke about the ‘Jam Cams.’ The touch was innocent enough, but it was also the time he first scented her pheromones. Faint as they were, he could just tell… That, and the attraction that grew from that contact… “Y _ou know you love me…_ ” “ _Do I? Yes… yes, I do…_ ”

 

He carefully put the small revolver down on the table, and rolled the tension out of his shoulders. Then, Nick leaned back and nibbled on his pizza slice. Again, the dialogue was innocent, but Judy had answered coyly enough. Did she really? Nick added a couple more thoughts to the logic train. Asking him to trust her in the Rainforest, and jump blindly into the void of the night. Asking him to become her partner… Unthinkable on so many levels… He was Predator, she was Prey…

 

He smiled. True. He had felt betrayed later when Judy was rattled by the journalists and reporters, but she came back to him and confessed that she was sorry… “ _I am a dumb bunny…_ ” That was the first time they had embraced. She had come to him, emotionally, and wanted to be with him even though they both had screwed up. He understood and accepted going to the Academy. And now, they were partners and maybe even more than that…

 

He sighed, and put the half-eaten pizza slice down. Closing his eyes and rubbing his forehead, he recalled that first contact and remembered the warmth of her body. That warmth increased over the past few months as mutual touches followed their first kisses. He chuckled softly. Those awkward attempts at intimacy caused both of them to be initially self-conscious about their feelings toward each other. And then, they began to become aware of the pleasure they could give each other…

 

Glancing toward the hallway, Nick could not help but wonder… “ _Could tonight be…?_ ”

 

Nick shook his head “Poor kid,” he muttered.

 

**Chapter Eleven: Complications**

 

“Who’s what, Nick?” Judy suddenly said, putting down a fresh can of beer in front of him. Then, she bounced over the table, and once more snuggled in close.

 

“Uh, Carrots…”

 

“What? We have some juicy parts coming up,” she replied a she retrieved the snack plate Nick had prepared for her. “Let’s see… We just did the séance, and the dinner has just broken up. Can you guess what’s about to take place?”

 

“Not a clue,” Nick replied, now fully aware of her pheromones. He tapped the PLAY button and set the remote down.

 

“You didn’t notice Sir Henry trying to soothe Beryl when the Hound howled?”

 

“Well… They seemed to become rather close in a short amount of time.”

 

“Short amount of time? The Bassetvilles seem to have one thing in common with Yugo, then. Impulsive love relationships…” Judy suddenly realized that she was on dangerous ground. “Although she does point out some of the interesting things in the ruins around the moor…”

 

Nick waved her off. “Then what is she doing here?” He pointed at the screen. There, Beryl was gesturing at stone items that a modern apartment would have had.

**_“I wonder how many times some young savage brought his bride into this very hut. Said, take your hat off, darling, this is home! You know, this is probably where she cooked his first meal for him. And what a yell he must have let out when she burnt it up…”_ **

 

After a short pause, Sir Henry decided to play the same game. Nick nodded in satisfaction as Sir Henry spoke up.

 

**_“Do you suppose when a man met a girl that he liked, he had to wait a respectably long time before he dared tell her, or things like that were suddenly came natural?  I'd like to think that things were like that._ ** **_Beryl, that's the way they are with me._ ** **”**

 

Nick did not like the smug look Judy gave him over her shoulder. Of course, that look earned him a beautiful smile that melted his heart, and… a good look down the cleavage of her sweater… so, things are looking… um… up?

 

“What?”

 

“Do you really agree with Sir Henry?” Judy asked with a smirk. When Nick declined to answer, she knew that he had revealed a part of him that she did not know before. Just like when they were on the Sky Tram, and he said to never let people know they got to him. Then, she noticed the downward glance he gave her. B-Cup or not, he wanted to look at her. Arching her back against the couch, Judy allowed her sweater to hug the contours of her breasts.

 

“ _Like what you see, Nick?_ ” she whispered in her mind.

 

However, despite the kudo tag Judy put on her partner, Nick did not have any rejoinder, and so the conversation faded, and they settled back into watching the movie. Sipping her beer, she silently fumed. There times like this when she wanted to grab him by his shirt-front and shake him. She was this close to getting him to break through the wall he had built around him, and here was that chance. Sir Henry and Beryl… They have barely met, and yet Beryl has Sir Henry opening up with something important and personal. Judy needed to figure out a way to do the same…

 

****_“… We can't even be ourselves when we want to be. Why is that…?”_  
  


Suddenly, she was aware that two voices had spoken – Sir Henry and… Nick!

 

Knowing the action line at this point, Judy did not trouble herself with the events that lead to the engagement of the two lovers… Engaged? Revealing talk AND engagement? Judy sat back almost in a sulk. _Life wasn’t fair_ …

 

At this point in the movie, Doctor Barkson interrupted the engagement just before an old bloodhound with a carpetbag stumbled upon the scene. Judy’s ears snapped forward. As the old dog-man tried to interest the trio in a variety of items that began with a harmonica. Being a mouth instrument, the comical old fellow blew an un-pleasurable bit of froth on them. Judy grinned at the bloodhound as he tried a police whistle.

 

“I forgot about that,” she said around a giggle. “Hounds just made his appearance.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“The old man, Nick. That’s Hounds in disguise. He does this a lot, and it drives Barkson crazy.”

 

Judy settled back against Nick and watched as the scene shifted back to the entrance to the Hall. Briardhund had just picked up a message intended for Doctor Barkson. Jack Stipplehund asks for Sir Henry, who is out on the Moor – alone! The note goes to Barkson and it instructs him to go back to the Hermit’s Shack where he will learn “something to your advantage.”

 

“It’s happening, Nick,” Judy whispered theatrically. “All the pieces are in motion.” Judy turned and sat down in Nick’s lap, facing him. “And I’m following them…”

 

The sweater quickly slid upward to reveal more white fur than Nick ever saw on Judy’s torso. Even the two-piece she wore that one summer day did not give Nick a nude waist-up view of this beautiful bunny. He instantly zeroed in on the two hot pink nipples and bent her back to kiss and lick her.

 

Judy shuddered at the full knowledge of what she was now letting her fox partner have of her body. His one hand cupped her small firm breasts and caressed her downy fur that covered her silky skin while his other hand sought a way into her tight jeans. Judy groaned deep in her throat as Nick used his tongue on those sensitive places from her ears down to her navel. Her mind was hardly functioning on its own as she realized Nick had managed to unsnap her jeans and push them halfway down her thighs….

 

“Two can play that game, Slick,” she moaned as his hands began exploring new ‘ground’ that the jeans had covered up until now.

 

**Chapter Twelve: Enter the Hunter**

 

With no one watching the movie, the action continued with Doctor Barkson going out in the dim light of evening, armed and determined to learn what this note was about, and who sent it to him. He creeps up to the open hearth of the cave that the Hermit has claimed, and finds another note: “Sit down and make yourself comfortable.” The scrape of a limping man’s footfalls alerts Barkson, who pulls his pistol.

An old greyhound comes in, sees the pistol and remarks that it might be loaded. Then he offers Doctor Barkson a zither. When Barkson is asked for his name, he says he is Sherbark Hounds. The old greyhound grins, and then answers that his name must be Doctor Barkson. He removes his disguise, and tries to calm Barkson down.

**_“So you've been down here on the moor all the time!” Barkson growled. “That's a fine way to treat me, I must say! Send me down here, let me think you were in Houndon, working on that Blackmutt case, make me sit up half the night writing those blasted reports!”_** _  
_ Nearly nude, Judy turned in his lap and ended up with her straddling him. The head of his arousal was now lodged in the opening of her sex, and even through their jeans, he could feel the labia, and the knob of her clitoris. “Barkson always seemed to get this paperwork duty,” Nick finally managed to get out. He groaned as her slender paws wrapped around his shaft “Your turn to feel the burn,” she chuckled, and then kissed the fleshy point of his fox parts.  ** _“Superior reports, my dear Barkson, and very valuable they were, too,” Hounds agreed._** ** _“I made arrangements to have them forwarded on to me. A shabby trick which I'll not forget. Ah, but a very necessary trick. If I'd come down here with you and Sir Henry, every movement of mine would have been watched. Why, in this way, only you and Sir Henry have been watched, and I've been free to work.”_** __  
Judy was now aware of Nick’s distress, so she began licking the length of his cock. She grinned as Nick tried to speak. “I always wondered why the good doctor never figured that out. Are you enjoying the movie, Slick?”

 

“Fluff?” Nick managed to remark without too obvious a groan. Seeing that her movements were affecting him as planned, she moved downward to camel-toe his cock.

 

“Yesss…?”

**_“I'm returning with you,” Hounds said after removing his disguise, “to Bassetville Hall. There are still some gaps to be filled in, but all in all, things are becoming a little clearer.”_ **

**_“Not to me, I assure you. It's still a hopeless jumble.”_ **

**_“Mr. Frankhund, Dr. Malamute, the Briardhunds, put it all together and what have you got? Murder, my dear Barkson, refined, cold-blooded murder.”_ **

**_“Murder?” Barkson said, clearly surprised._ **

**_“There's no doubt about it in my mind. Or, perhaps I should say in my imagination. But that's where crimes are conceived and where they're solved; in the imagination.”_** __  
  


Judy had closed her eyes as she rocked back and forth on Nick’s thick, hard cock tip. Her ears rotated toward the nearest speaker, but she was only half listening to it. Nick, on the other hand, was having difficulty that paired his physical world with his fantasy one.  In his imagination, he was in a different Bassetvilles Hall, and he was just about to leap on top of a soft, pliable, wanton bunny…

 

**_“There's no doubt about it in my mind. Or, perhaps I should say in my imagination. But that's where crimes are conceived and where they're solved, in the imagination. But there's been no murder, unless you mean Sir Charles. And the facts clearly indicated that he died from heart failure. That's why so many murders remain unsolved. People will stick to facts even though they prove nothing. Now, if we go beyond facts, use our imagination as the criminal does, imagine what might have happened and act upon it, as I've been trying to do in this case, we usually find ourselves justified. - Then you know? - Another day or two at the most, and I will know. My one fear is that the murderer will strike before we're ready. In that case...”_ **

 

Nick came up for air. As he did, he realized Judy’s scent was now stronger than ever. His body was full of informational signals… First, his hand was closed upon the soft velvet fur that covered a small but warm globe. Next, he could discern his body was lodged between strong muscular thighs of someone smaller than he was. His cock was throbbing in someone’s bare paw, which meant his pants were open…

_  
**“Aaarrrrrroooooooooo**!!!”_

 

“What the…?” Nick said through a haze. He was barely cognizant of someone snorting their displeasure. “The Hound!” she gasped. “Quick, Barkson! We must rescue Sir Henry…”

“Who?” Nick got our before he registered where they were, and Judy crawled up and over his hip from where she had been thrown.

 

“I would rather you rescue me,” Judy said as he rose off her. Her sweater was now laying over the far armrest, leaving her naked from the waist up. Both nipples showed evidence of being licked, which bared them from her white chest fur. Her jeans were unbuckled, unbuttoned, and unzipped… and gawd knows they were at the moment. Reluctantly, she released his cock, but made no move to retrieve her panties. “The Hound is after someone on the Moor, and Barkson and Hounds think it’s Sir Henry…”

 

“He’s not?” Nick was about ask the obvious when the action included a man being chased by a ghastly, terrifying, giant beast-hound. Blue-white flames surrounded the beast as it growled. Judy jumped back into Nick’s lap and squirmed; once more dividing his concentration on the film and the sex of the bunny on his cock tip. On the screen and not watching where he was going, the dog-man tripped, and fell over one of the many cliffs. The Hound looked over the precipice, whined and then bounded away as Hounds and Barkson approached with guns drawn.

 

**_Barkson checked the victim._ “** **_He must have run along that bridge and fallen over the cliff. He's dead. His skull is crushed in.”_ **

**_“The convict!” Hounds corrected. “Thank heaven!”_ **

**_“What?” Barkson exclaimed – once more surprised at the contradiction. “That's the man I shot at the night we arrived, the man Briardmutt was signaling to. Who is it?”_ **

**_Hounds shook his head. “The Knotting Hill murderer. He escaped from prison last month and hiding on the moor ever since.”_ **

**_“The Knotting Hill murderer?” Barkson repeated._** __  
  


Judy rose up in Nick’s lap, causing him further distress as his rigid member was now trapped under her pelvic region.

 

“Do I need anything, Fluff?” Nick asked through one of Judy’s moans.

 

“What? No… We shouldn’t even be compatible. In fact, you might not even fit….”

 

He chuckled and then gasped….

**_He escaped from prison last month and has been hiding on the moor ever since.”_ **

**_“The Knotting Hill murderer?” Barkson finally said for the third time. “Do you mean that he's_ **

**_responsible for all this?”_ **

**_Hound knelt beside the body. “That remains to be seen.”_ **

**_“But he's wearing Sir Henry's clothes.”_ **

**_“Yes, yes, that accounts for it.”_ **

**_“Accounts for what?”_ **

**_“For the hound. These clothes were the cause of that poor devil's death.”_ **

**_“Do you mean that the hound was after Sir Henry?”_ **

**_“Yes,” Hounds nodded, “and mistook the convict for him because of the scent of the clothes. Do you remember that missing boot, Barkson?”_ **

 

“There!” Judy exclaimed in victory as the movie dialogue was heard in the silence of the apartment. “The scent that was on the old black boot but not the new tan one.”

**_Hounds pointed down at the convict’s footwear. “Why do you suppose the brown one, the one that had never been worn, was so mysteriously replaced and the black one taken? Why? Because a boot that had never been worn… wouldn't have… had the scent of the owner, and the black one had.”_ **

**_Barkson nodded. “But how does this convict come to be wearing Sir Henry's clothes?”_ **

**_“Oh, well, that's simple enough…” Hounds explained unpretentiously._** __  
  


**Chapter Thirteen: Revelations**

 

Nick moaned. Judy now had a handful of his chest ruff as Stipplehund came on the scene. Something was beginning to form, and Judy knew that the end was near – Here on the guest room bed and on the Movie still playing on the DVD.

**_“Why, Dr. Barkson! Is somebody hurt? Who's this?”_ **

**_“The convict who escaped from Princeton,” Hounds replied._ **

**_”Oh, how terrible. I heard a cry, that's what brought me over here. What's your theory about it, Mr. Hounds?”_ **

**_“You're quick at identification.”_ **

**_“Oh, everybody knows you, sir. As a matter of fact, we've been expecting you down here. - My name's Jack Stipplehund.”_ **

**_“How do you do?” Hounds said tersely._ **

**_“You came in time to see a tragedy.”_ **

**_“Yes, it's a most unpleasant remembrance for me to take back to Houndon tomorrow.”_ **

**_“But must you go so soon? I've been looking forward to meeting you.”_ **

****_“Yes, yes, I'm afraid I must.”_  
  


Nick was beginning to see bright spots of light as Judy began to concentrate on her fox, and on the enticing firmness of his anatomy between her thighs. “J-j-judy….” ****  
  


On the TV screen, the convict’s body was placed in the cavern, and Hounds led Barkson and Stipplehund back to Bassetville Hall. There, they met the butler at the steps. On the couch, Judy continued to ride Nick while he began to ease her panties down her legs.

****

**_“Where's Sir Henry, Briardmutt?”_ **

**_“In the library, sir.”_ **

**_“Oh, Briardmutt, if your wife's still up, ...will you tell her Mr. Sherbark Hounds would like a word with her?”_ **

**_“Sherbark Hounds?”_ **

**_“Yes.”_ **

**_“Yes, sir.”_ **

****_“Thank you.”_  
  


The butler hurried inside while Hounds, Barkson and Stipplehund were met by first Sir Henry, and then by the butler and his wife. Seeing Hounds, Sir Henry started to order the Briardmutts back into the Hall.

 

**_“What is it, Briardmutt?”_ **

**_“Oh, I asked to see Mrs. Briardmutt,” Hounds said quietly. “If you don't mind, Sir Henry?”_ **

**_“Of course not.” Sir Henry said as Hounds gestured them inside the main Hall._ **

**_“Come in, Mrs. Briardmutt. I think you better sit down.”_ **

**_“Thank you, sir, but I prefer to stand.“_ **

**_“I'm afraid I have some rather bad news for you.”_ **

**_“What is it?”_ **

**_“Well, it's going to be a bit of a shock.”_ **

**_Despite her resolve, the wife sat in the nearest char “Oh, they've caught him.”_ **

**_“Your, your brother…”_ **

**_“They'll hang him for sure.”_ **

**_Hounds shook his head. “No, Mrs. Briardmutt, he's beyond the law now. He's in more merciful hands. We came across the poor fellow as we were crossing the moor. He must have missed his footing and fallen over the cliff. No further need, Briardmutt, to signal to him from the window or take food out to him or give him Sir Henry's discarded clothes. I'm sorry, Sir Henry.”_ **

**_  
_** Nick was no longer watching or even listening to the movie. In fact, the DVD no longer had an audience. Nick shook his head. His concentration was totally on Judy, who now straddled his waist. Her clothing was piled somewhat neatly on the floor next to wall on her side of the guest room bed. His were likewise scattered on the floor next to the bed, only from the foot to the headboard (and not so neatly). His hand was engaged with stroking the soft silky fur that was defined by the white patch covering her chin, chest, belly, buttocks and thighs. She moaned every time he ran his fingers over a nipple or her sex. When that happened, Nick’s fox parts were squeezed in Judy’s delicate paws.

 

“Jud… eee…” he groaned as he finally accessed her sex. So far as their relationship had progressed, this was the first time making out that they had gone this far, and Nick was going to take advantage of it.

 

On the other side, Judy was having trouble maintaining control. Her pheromones had already marked her presence in the room, and she knew Nick was affected by it. Being on top of HER FOX… She froze…!

 

At first, Judy was confused by the sensations running through her body and her mind. Nick’s touch on her erotic zones, his passionate kisses around her face and throat – all seemingly with her permission and cooperation – was slowly breaking down her reserve. She had come on this date with signals that she wanted to extend their physical relationship. Her body was definitely responding to him. So, what is stopping her from fully claiming him…?

 

Suddenly, the dialogue voices caused her ears to spring erect….

 

**_”Well, it's nice to get that end cleared up, for their sake as well as mine._ **

**_It clears up everything, I think, Sir Henry. That poor devil must have been completely demented.” Hounds remarked casually._ **

**_“And that accounts for those dreadful noises…” Sir Henry added._ **

**_“...that we've been hearing from time to time. – Exactly. Your troubles are over, Sir Henry.”  
“I really am most grateful, Mr. Hounds.”_ **

**_“Oh, not at all, I've done little enough. But you can sleep peacefully in your bed now and commence to lead the life of a happy country squire.”_ ** **_Sir Henry chuckled. “Well, not for a little bit, I'm afraid. I'm off to Canada again.”_ ** **_“Canada?”_ ** **_“Beryl, Miss Stipplehund and I, are going to be married.”_ ** **_“Miss Stipplehund?”_ **

**_“A very charming young lady.”_ **

**_“Congratulations.”  
“Everything's arranged. Her brother's giving us a farewell party tomorrow night. We'll be married in London the following day, and then off for a honeymoon to Canada.”_ ** **_“My congratulations, too, Sir Henry,” Doctor Barkson added._ ** **_“Thanks.”_ ** **_“What luck you're here,” Stipplehund said cheerfully. “You and Doctor Barkson will be with us tomorrow night!”_ ** **_“No, I'm sorry, I... I'm afraid I can't. I must hurry back to Houndon, and so should you too, Barkson. We'll have to report to the police here about that convict in the morning, but there's a train leaving early in the afternoon.”_ ** **_“Oh, what a pity! Beryl will be dreadfully disappointed,” Sir Henry said quietly. “Now, we'll remedy that when you come up to Houndon.”_ **

**_“You must,” Jack stammered. “You must dine with us before you sail.”_ **

 

“Judy?” he asked as he dropped both hands on her thighs. “What’s wrong?”

 

“Me…” she said quietly. Still straddling his waist, she had his shaft pressed against her sex. One move by either of them would place him inside her. Obviously, she had wanted it to happen, but now…

 

”What do you mean, ‘you’?” he asked further. He stopped his exploration of the enticing bunny, and carefully placed his hands on hers. “What happened?”

 

Judy slipped her hands free, thus giving her room to physically explain things. “I don’t know, Nick. I was quite ready to take your ‘Wilde Ride’, as you call it.” She grinned down at him. “But….”

 

“You still can,” he said, and ground his hips and hard member against her.

 

Desperately pushing away from him, Judy began to sort through her clothes. “I think I’d better not, Slick….” She came up with her panties in her paw and her voice softened. “Nick, listen. I’m worried about crossing some lines here that we haven’t talked about yet. I know I’m broadcasting, and you are the one I seem to be aiming my heat at. I was fine with what we were doing until I caught myself thinking about you in a very selfish way. Her ears drooped. Nick? Do you know what it means when a bunny says, ‘my fox’?”

 

Nick rose up on an elbow. “Other than it’s a spoken possessive. You say it to anybody, and it comes across as a directive – ‘He’s mine, so get lost.’ How’s that?”  


“Pretty damn close. Crackers, Nick! I’m all mixed up here. I want you, and yet I can’t figure out if you feel the same way about me. Didn’t you hear what was going on in the movie? Sir Henry is going to take his fiancée to Canada! His FIANCÉE, Nick! He is going to marry her and take her on a honeymoon! He’s made a commitment to his feelings and told them to his loved one… Cheese and Crackers! Where’s my right sock!?”

 

“I can’t argue that parts of me wants quite a bit of you, Fluff,” he said as he reached over his side of the bed and snagged his boxers. Then, he reached inside his pants, and came up with a white bunny sock. He tossed it to her and received his left sock in exchange. “I must admit that I’m flattered. I’m ‘yours,’ am I? I mean, you specifically? As in ‘This fox is the property of Judy Hopps?”

 

“Yes,” she said as she zipped up her jeans and emphasized her agreement by finishing the zip! “Mine!”

 

“What do I get to say about you? I mean, do I get to tell everyone that you’re mine?” Nick sat on his side of the bed and watched sadly as Judy slipped back into her sweater. Her ‘naked’ body was now covered. “Are you ‘my bunny’?”

 

Judy stopped at the door. “That depends….”

 

“On what?” Nick pulled up his pants and zipped the fly shut.

 

Her ears drooped. “On whether you want me to be yours….”

 

Nick found his shirt but did not put I on. Instead, he got up and went over to where Judy stood. Going down on one knee so he was on her eyelevel, he took her hands in his. “I have no question in my mind, Judy. If you’re already thinking that way, that I’m ‘your fox’, then I know I’m exactly that.”

 

A gentle smile crossed her lips, and then she stepped into his embrace. Her arms went around his neck and then his arms and tail enfolded her. “Congratulations, Slick. This bunny is yours, but….”

 

“But?” He grinned as she stepped back but she continued to touch his face.

 

“Let’s go back to the movie for now, and we’ll talk about this in the morning.”

**Chapter Fourteen: Clarifications**

“I’m really sorry about this, Nick,” Judy said as they came back to the couch. She re-started the DVD, and then called up the chapter menu. After a few trials, she found the place they remembered last before they ended up running for the guest room. “I really messed this up…”

 

“You mean you really wanted to…?”

 

Nick watched her as she picked up the dishes and bowls and then went toward the kitchen. Her powderpuff tail still caught his attention and his body remembered the feel of her… and her scent. To further complicate his puzzled emotions, he felt a thought crawl its way through the fog of his male brain. “My Fox.” He followed her as she hopped up of the footstool to get a fresh plate.

 

“Hey, Fluff… “ he said apologetically. He placed his hands carefully on the flair of her hips, and slowly drew her around to face him. Her eyes were shut and threatening to shed tears over the sides of her muzzle. “Don’t do that, Judy. Please….”

 

“I can’t help it, Nick,” she replied as she held the plate against her chest. “I may have planned to seduce you, and I fully wanted to … but I’ve never had my heat come on this strong before.”

 

“That’s why you called me ‘your fox’, right?”

 

“That’s part of it,” she said with a sad smile. “I get around you, and my brain just leaves me. You’ve scented me, and I know just having me near you turns you on, doesn’t it?”

 

“Hard not to….” He replied and then held up his hand to stop the complaint. “Uhh… sorry about that. Yeah, I know. You’re definitely in heat?” He saw her nod as he set her down and handed her a pair of bowls. “For how long?”

 

Her smile turned into a smirk. “Probably until you take me back to bed again… Nick… A bunny has a survival trait that you may not have thought about. We can go into heat anytime during the year. All it takes is a doe to get turned on by a buck, or in this case – a Tod.” 

 

“Huh...”

 

Carrying a fresh load of treats and a slice of pizza back to the couch, physical things showed a change had occurred. Judy let Nick get settled, and then she once more sat down next to him – using his thigh as an arm rest. Still unsure of this date’s protocols, they fidgeted each time they touched when going for a bowl, the remote, or how far ‘getting comfortable’ went before it crossed the line.

 

“Nick?”

 

“Yeah?’

 

“The movie…?”

 

“Yeah…”

 

“My eyes are up here,” she said with a hint of amusement.

 

Nick blinked. His ears suddenly laid back over his skull as realized that his gaze had ranged between her breasts and her pelvic area. “Heh… Uh, yeah, uh, so they are… uhm… maybe I had better start the movie before I, uh…”

 

“Rape me?” she replied innocently.

 

“I was thinking more of ravishing you, but…”

 

Judy smacked the remote down on his thigh and coyly smiled. “Maybe after the movie…” She turned thoughtful, and then giggled. “Is there a difference between the two? I mean, ‘rape’ is defined as sex carried out forcibly or under threat of injury against the will of a mammal. ‘Ravish’, on the other paw, is either to seize and take away by violence, or to overcome with emotion (such as joy or delight).”

 

“I was thinking more of the enjoyable definition, Fluff,” he said, turning enough to fondle her through her sweater. Judy responded by first kissing him, and then groaning as he played with her stiffening nipples by rolling hem between his thumb and the two right fingers.

 

“Nick… please… After the movie….”

 

“Then I might honestly rape you,” he said as he sat back. When his back hit the cushion, Judy had turned, pressing her small breasts against his arm.

 

“And what if I rape you first?”

 

“Fluff? You have the remote, so I suggest you start the movie before that actually happens.”

 

Judy looked down at her paw. “Oh! Uhh, yeah… I do, don’t I…?” She touched the PLAY button, and then cuddled around his arm… “Let’s see where we left off then.”

 

The movie flickered on again, and the scene had the butler, his wife, Sir Henry, Barkson and Sherbark

****

**_“Briardmutt here wanted to tell you all along so as you could notify the police. It was he was my kin, my own kin, even though he wasn't never any good.”_ **

**_“We understand.”_ **

**_“You won't hold it against Briardmutt will you, sir?”_ **

**_“Of course not. Now, take her along, see that she's all right.”_ **

****

“So the convict was related to the butler and his wife,” Nick nodded between bites of his pizza. “That’s why the butler was signaling with the candle. Hmmm. How does he get involved in this? Is he some poor slob that got kicked out of Bassetville Hall, and is getting back at them with some phony…?”

 

“You’re cold... not close at all. Just sit back and watch the rest of the film, Nick,” Judy said, rolling her eyes and then flipping her ears over to whack Nick’s cheek.

 

Rubbing his offended facial feature, he glared at her, and received a Brahma Cheer - which is a bathroom noise somewhere between a snort and a wicker, or when someone breaks wind. “I didn’t know bunnies could make such an offensive un-lady-like sound. “

 

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” she replied through a grin.

 

Nick waved his free paw at the screen. “Just for that, I’m going to ruin the ending for you. The butler, um, whatever his name was. He did it!”

 

“Hush.”

 

**Chapter Fifteen: Sherbark Sets a Trap**

Judy reached out, touched PLAY, and then leaned back with a bowl in hand. “Let’s see where we are right now….”

 

**_Passing by the portrait of Sir Yugo Bassetville, Sir Henry grinned and pointed at the depiction of his ancestor. “Well, there's the old boy himself, Sir Yugo. Yugo, the Beast of the Bassetvilles. Not a bad bit of brushwork, by Ransom, one of the minor painters. Oh, I don't imagine it's very valuable,” Sir Henry laughed._** ** _“I can't quite agree with you, Sir Henry.” Sherbark paused briefly and studied the portrait. “One day it might prove to be of the greatest value. Well, we must be going.”_**  ‘Good byes’ were said, and the action moved over show an old but robust steam locomotive pulling its string of passenger cars. Hounds and Doctor Barkson were seated in a private car, and the good Doctor was incensed at leaving Bassetville Hall prematurely. Nick was still surprised when Judy crawled up in his lap. Her pheromones still broadcasting, and her obvious location now made concentrating on the movie a bit tenuous at best.  “Why is that, Carrots?” Nick swallowed.  “Why is what?” “Hounds and Barkson are going the wrong way!” Nick said as began to give up trying to figure out what Judy was up to, and so he put his arms around her. “Just watch the movie… and may you might… find out….” Judy got out between light kisses.  ** _“There's still one or two little points, Hounds, and I can't for the life of me reconcile with your theory,_** ** _about that poor demented convict.”_** ** _“One or two little points?”_** ** _“Surely you can't mean that he was in London three weeks ago, sent that letter, and stole that boot?”_** ** _“Of course not.” Sherbark remarked as he tapped the debris from his pipe. Dr. Barkson was beginning to lose his cool._** ** _“Then who the devil did?”_** ** _“The same person that was responsible for the death of that convict last night… and will try again to murder Sir Henry tonight,” Hounds refilled his pipe and lit the bowl._** ** _“Tonight?”_** ** _“Unless my imagination has run away with itself, and I don't think that it has.”_** ** _Barkson’s eyes opened wide with disbelief. “Then why are we rushing up to Houndon, leaving Sir Henry entirely unprotected?”_** ** _“We're not, my dear Barkson. We're just giving the impression of rushing up to Houndon. In a minute and a half, we'll be in Oak Hampton, there we'll catch a train back to Dartmouth, and if my surmise is correct, we'll nab our man in the act.”_** ** _“But if you know who it is, why all this roundabout rigmarole? Why don't you have him arrested?”_** “How about it, Sherlock Hounds?” Nick gestured at the screen. “For the same reason enumerated here,” Judy said with a very smug look on her face.  ** _“Because I have no case, not a shred of evidence that would hold in any court. The only way is to_** ** _catch him red-handed, to catch him in such a way that there's no escape, no alibi. And that means gambling with Sir Henry's life.”_** ** _“But you can't…” Dr. Barkson stuttered, now befuddled. Hounds looked intently at his friend._** ** _“Gambling to save his life. But we've got to take that chance. Otherwise, the shadow of sudden death will be forever hanging over his head... and sooner or later….”_**

The train whistle let lose a cacophonous announcement, and Hounds removed his pocket watch and consulted the time.

 

**_“Here we are, Oak Hampton.”_ **

 

 As Hounds and Barkson dash off to catch the return train, another set of good-byes are being spoken. However, Nick now had Judy pressed up against his chest, his arms around her waist and his hands once more claiming parts of her erogenous zones.

 

**_Doctor Malamute lifted a glass, and saluted Sir Henry and Beryl Stipplehund. “And may you both spend the rest of your years together ... in happy contentment.”_** ** _“Here, here.” The rest joined in._** ** _“Thank you.” Sir Henry joined the festivities with a toast of his own. “And now, I want to thank you all for the kindness that you've shown a stranger. And when Beryl and I return, I want you to know that you'll always be welcome at Bassetville Hall.”_** ** _“Thank you, Sir Henry.”_** ** _“It's going to be lonely for you, Mr. Stipplehund, with Beryl gone.”_** ** _“Yes, indeed it will, Mrs. Malamute. I shall be more dependent than ever upon you, my neighbors.”_** ** _Frankhund snorted. “Don't count upon me, sir. In my opinion, you're a body snatcher. And until the courts have decreed otherwise, I want nothing whatsoever to do with you!”_** ** _“Oh, Mr. Frankhund,” Beryl chided._** Judy groaned as Nick retook the liberties he had had once before. Her sweater once more lay across the armrest of the couch, and her left breast was in possession of Nick’s left hand. On the screen, a team of equines towed a coach rapidly across a country road with Hounds’ urging the driver on and Barkson complaining of the insanity of the ride….  ** _“I say, driver, can't you go a little faster?”_** ** _“I'm doing the best I can, sir.”_** ** _At this point, the coach runs over a sizable pothole and the axel breaks. Barkson and Hounds get out of the coach and confront the ‘coach driver’…._** ** _“You idiot! We said go faster, not break our necks.”_** ** _“How far is it to Bassetville Hall?”_** ** _“It's five miles by road, sir, but if you want to cut over the moor – it's only about three.”_** ** _“Here you are.” Hounds gives the driver some coins and waves Barkson onward. “Come on Barkson, quick!”_**  

Now that the movie started moving, the romantic foreplay began to go static. Nick’s shirt laid open with Judy’s paws dug into the lighter orange colored chest fur, and Nick’s hand was trapped knee-high between her strong thighs. Both, however, seemed unaware that the attention was on the chase versus the departing guests at the Stipplehund residence….

 

**_“It's been a wonderful evening, Stipplehund.”_ ** **_“Oh, glad you could be with us, Doctor Malamute. - Thank you.”_ ** **_“Take this brooch, my dear, and wear it on your wedding dress. It belonged to my great grandmother. “Something old, something new. You know._ ** **_“Oh, that's so sweet of you, Mrs. Malamute. Thank you so much._ ** **_“And come back to us soon, both of you._ ** **_“We will._ ** **_“May I offer you a lift, my lad?_ ** **_“It's such a beautiful night, Mr. Frankhund, I think I'll walk, thank you._ ** **_“Merely a gesture of hospitality. Reject it if you like. Get up, there!” he exclaimed, waving the equine to move out._ ** **_“You're not going to cross the moor alone, Sir Henry?” Doctor Malamute asked with some concern._ ** **_“Why not? There's nothing to fear anymore.”_ ** **_“We can't be sure.”_ ** **_“Oh, but I have Mr. Sherbark Hounds' own word for it.”_ ** **_“Come along, James.”_ ** **_“Good night, Sir Henry.”_ ** **_“Good night, Mrs. Malamute. Doctor.”_ ** **_“And the best of luck to you both. Thank you. Good night.”_ ** **_“Good night.”_ ** **_“I wish you'd let Frankhund drive you home,” Beryl said softly. Sir Henry took both of her paws._ ** **_“I wanted to stay and say goodnight to you. This is our last goodnight. From tomorrow on,_ ** **_there won't be any more, ever. Tomorrow we'll be away from this place.”_ ** **_“I wish it were now.”_ ** **_“So do I.”_ ** **_“Oh now, don't be silly.”_ ** **_“Good night, Beryl.”_ ** **_“Good night, dear.”_ ** **_“Well, was it a nice party?” Beryl said._ ** **_“Wonderful, everything, and most of all you.” Jack replied._ ** **_“Jack, I hadn't said very much about going away, but you know how I feel.”_ ** **_“Yes, of course, it had to be.”_ ** **_“You won't be too dreadfully lonely, will you?” asked._ ** **_“No, I shall have my work...”_ ** **_“Henry and I will be back before you even know it.”_ ** **_“Yes, of course you will.”  
“Well, you better go to bed now. You've got a big day ahead of you tomorrow.”_ ** **_“Good night, Jack.”_ **

**_“Good night, dear.”_ **

 

All during the dialogue, Judy squirmed against Nick’s strengthening arousal, but now her attention skewed to the action on the screen. Sir Henry and Beryl Stipplehund were still locked in their plans to get married and honeymoon in Canada, and there was the rising concern of the physical and paranormal elements of the moor at play.

 

“Carrots…?”

 

Judy realized that she was no longer moving in time to Nick’s paws and hips. He was ready and only had one thrust to make and his shaft would fill her inside.

 

“I… I just don’t think this is the right movie to have sex as a background. Just… maybe….”

 

**Chapter Sixteen: The Case is A Paw!**

 

At that moment, Judy knew what was taking place. The climatic end was speeding its way toward the end. Hounds and Barkson were close by the Bassetville Hall on foot and would arrive shortly. On the screen, Jack Stipplehund did something that most mystery stories do not visualize – he looked around and made sure no one was around.

 

“All right,” she said as she settled further up on Nick’s stomach, and away from his cock. “Stipplehund is acting too suspiciously now… Nick? Remember the missing black boot? Stipplehund has it!”  
  
Sure enough, the young basset puts on pair of work gloves, and takes the missing boot from a hidden drawer in the closet. Now prepared, Jack Stippetund rushes outside to a nearby archeology dig. A rickety cover conceals something large and… angry…. Stipplehund takes the boot and opens the cover. He throws the boot in the direction of Bassetville Hall, and then dives for cover as the Beast leaps out and sniffs the cold damp air of the Mire. Growling low in is throat, the huge glowing wild dog lifts its cruel face to the sky….

 

**AAARRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOO!**

 

As its roar echoes across the moor, the hideous creature bounds off into the murky shadows of the Chimpdon Mire…

 

Jack Stipplehund heads in another direction in his coach…

                                                                

Sir Henry hears the bloodcurdling howl of the Hound and begins a desperate run for safety… and toward Bassetville Hall.

 

Sherbark Hounds and Doctor Barkson also hear the baying of the beast and, with revolvers drawn, they change direction toward the Hall and hopefully to intercept the predator and its ancestral prey…

 

**_Over there! We'll head him off!_ **

 

Judy’s comment about being “inside” the movie comes true as she first slides over his thigh and scoots back against the lighter fur color of Nick’s chest. The camera changes suddenly change focus, and everything now settles on the horrid head and open mouth of gleaming fiery fangs.

 

**_AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOO!_ **

 

Judy turned inward and buries her face into Nick’s furry ruff as the wild dog leaps at Sir Henry. The two combatants go down with Sir Henry trying desperately to avoid the dripping teeth of the Hound. As the two enemies struggle, Sherbark and Barkson arrive. Pausing only to ascertain his target in the misty air, Sherbark fires twice … Dr. Barkson managed to get one shot in as well … and their combined volley was answered with a pitiful yelp….

 

**********

 

The report of the movie’s revolvers sends Judy hard against Nick. Both groan as this movement places her directly on his arousal and then downward on its length. To Nick, the encasement of his sex inside Judy was almost too much to take, and he enfolded her tightly in his arms. Judy was barely aware she had been taken – it was so quick. However, the throbbing presence of her Fox’s sex lodged deep inside her answered her unspoken question of “ _is he really?_ ” with absolute certainty. His knot rested just under the labia of her entryway… One thrust now would….

 

As the movie directed the scene to continue, Nick reached out a shaking hand and tapped the PAUSE button. He became instantly award of two sharp pains in his chest – and discovers Judy is shivering against him with two fists of his fur. Before he could stop her, she rose upward on his belly, and then she slammed down on the swelling obstruction at the base of his shaft – thus, finalizing answer to that problem. His cock and the thickness of his knot now forged their bodies together… inside her, she could feel the ropy spurts of semen spatter against the walls of her vagina and the greedy mouth of her cervix – filling her with its warmth. Once he started pouring his load inside, it felt like he could not stop… in truth, he couldn’t….

 

Judy captured his hand as he drew back, and she cupped his fingers around one of her breasts. If what she had researched was true, they would be locked together for about a half-an-hour.

 

“It’s over … Well … at least the scary part is…” Nick stuttered. “Judy…”

 

“Don’t worry about it,” she replied as she relaxed against his chest. “I got turned on just thinking about this position. Let the movie go, Nick. We have the time now. There’s something wrong about this Hound, and it just escapes me what it is.”

 

“It’s dead, isn’t it?” he said, glancing at the screen. “I mean, it’s not moving…?”

 

“The mouth…” Judy said and then groaned as Nick continued to ejaculate inside her.

 

“What about it?”

 

“This situation we’re in,” she sighed as another spasm caused both of them to tremble. “We’ve got to remember not to make love and try to discuss anything afterward. Does this happen every time you do it and you knot inside a girl and cum?”

 

“Canids need little help holding on, I guess.” Nick squinted at the screen. “What is it about the demonic flames that make it so frightening that it literally scares its victims to death? If it’s dead, shouldn’t they go away too?”

 

“It’s because the flames are the result of phosphorus paint,” Judy replied frankly. “Look closely at the beast’s eyes and mouth. There aren’t any flames there because paint would irritate the dog. For that, the harness and muzzle received the paint. I must admit, that seeing something like that in the dark and foggy haunts of the moor would frighten me. Are you almost done? I’m full of your fox semen.”

 

“Almost there,” Nick said as wrapped his arms around her. He groaned sensuously as Judy ground her pubic down into his lap, and then she added her muffled scream as he delivered one more gout of hot semen into her deepest parts. Nick held her down to ensure the flow of fox cum sloshed into every part of her vaginal chamber. As his knot began to soften, the stream of Nick’s sperm spilled around the swollen base of his cock and added to the wetness of their bodily fluids that coated the inside of their thighs. Finally, the excess oozed out of Judy and formed a small puddle between her legs. Nick collapsed against the couch cushions and Judy fell back onto Nick’s stomach.

 

**Chapter Seventeen: Tying Up Loose Ends**

 

**_“Jack! Where are you?” Beryl cried out in the darkness._ ** **_“He's coming to.” Sherbark remarked after making sure Si Henry was still alive.”_ ** **_“You'll be all right, old man,” Barkson said after checking for possible wounds, and the rips and tear in Sir Henry’s coat._ ** **_“Barkson.” Sherbark looked hurriedly about._ ** **_“Yes, old chap?”_ ** **_“What, what, what was it?” Sir Henry said, his word slurred by shock._ ** **_“We've got to get him home, quickly!” Sherbark commanded, then glanced critically at the fallen beast. “It was the Hound…  Can you manage him (pointiing his chin at Sir Henry) alone?”_ ** **_“Yes,” Doctor Baskson said assuredly. “Why?”_ ** **_“Because I've got things to do. Help me get his arm around your shoulder.”_ **

**_“I'm all right,” Sir Henry croaked out as he stirred…._ **

 

Nick shook his head and realized his finger had drifted over to touch the PLAY button. He watched as Sherbark Hounds slipped away, leaving Doctor Barkson and Beryl Stipplehund to tend to Sir Henry.

 

“This story seems to take all the fun out of being in the audience,” Judy said as she managed to free herself from Nick’s softened knot. She did not retreat too far away from him, though but settled against his side. “We already know that Jack Stipplehund was the one who had the wild Hound and kept him in the moor to facilitate the nightmare.”

 

“But we don’t know the motive yet,” Nick said as he held Judy close to him. They watch as Sherbark tracks the footprints of the Hound back to its pen and is momentarily trapped by Jack Stipplehund while solving the clue of the missing boot. “Ah! Wait for it and the movie will explain it.”

 

The scene changes to the ground floor of Bassetville Hall where Doctor Barkson, Jack and Beryl Stipplehund, and the butler and his wife see to Sir Henry.

 

**_“It's pretty painful, I know, but it won't take much longer.” Barkson helps Sir Henry to come inside the Hall and gets him seated when Jack Stipplehund enters._ ** **_“Go on, it doesn't hurt.” Sir Henry tries to shoo the attention away._ ** **_“Now, Mrs. Briardmutt, some gauze, please,” Barkson says as he hovers around Sir Henry._ ** **_Jack comes over – seemingly to help Barkson. “I just heard the dreadful news. Thank heavens, you're safe.”_ ** **_“Is he all right?” Beryl asks._ ** **_Jack looks around and he is relieved that Sherbark is not here “Well, now we know for certain that this is no legend, no myth. There really is a hound.”_ ** **_“Was a hound,” Barkson corrected._ ** **_“Yes, Mr. Hounds told me,” Jack nodded. “I ran into him across the moor. He asked me to send you to him at once. It's a matter of great importance. He said he'd wait for you at the spot where the ... the beast was killed.”_ ** **_“I must finish here first,” Barkson says as he examines Sir Henry’s face. “This poor boy has taken a terrific beating.”_ ** **_Jack is getting a bit nervous at Doctor Barkson’s insistence of staying next to Sir Henry. “Well, I could carry on for you, Doctor. I 'm a bit of a doctor myself, you know.”_ ** **_“Do you think you could manage?”_ ** **_“Yes, I'm sure I could. I think you really ought to go, Dr. Barkson. Mr. Hounds was most urgent.”_ ** **_“Oh, really?” Finally, Barkson seems to agree and leaves… Jack takes over being the doctor._ ** **_“I shall need some hot water, Mrs. Briardmutt. Oh, I want it boiling, please.”_ ** **_“Yes, sir.”_ ** **_“It must have been a terrifying experience, Sir Henry, terrifying,” Jack said as he went over to his kit bag. He rummages about inside and finally finds a small vial of white crystals. He takes a glass and mixes the crystals in the glass while adding a dollop of hot water to the tepid water already there._ ** **_“It was, it was indeed,” Sir Henry mumbles._ ** **_“Yes, I can see you're still weak from loss of blood.”_ ** **_“I can't say I feel any too well.”_ ** **_“Here, drink this, Sir Henry, you'll feel much stronger. I'll see to your other bandages after.”_ ** **_Jack hands the glass to Sir Henry and then adds … “Oh, it may taste a little bitter, but don't mind that.” At that point, Sherbark comes in…  
“Sir Henry! Well, feeling better?”_ ** **_“Yes, thanks.” Sir Henry examines the glass but Sherbark leans in close and makes drinking difficult._ ** **_“I say, that's uncomfortably close to your eye, isn't it?” Again, Sir Henry tries to drink from the glass, but cannot because of Sherbark’s interference._ ** **_“Along this side? Well, well, well.” Sherbark knocks the glass out of Sir Henry’s hand, and it shatters._ ** **_“Oh, I'm terribly sorry, that was clumsy of me.”_ **

**_“It was only a bit of a tonic. - Sir Henry's lost considerable blood. - Yes?” Jack murmurs irritably._ **

 

Nick tapped the PAUSE button again. “Bitter taste, huh? Bets that he stirred in some cyanide…?”

 

“Which is why Hounds gets close to smell the almond scent,” Judy said as she pulled Nick’s tail around her upper body. “At this point, Sherbark knows that Jack Stipplehund is the criminal. We need to have the other characters know it, and I spy, with my bunny eyes, just the thing….”

 

I would think that I would be more amazed if the scene gives you the clue and Hounds explains the deduction that details the crime,” Nick remarks as he strokes her ears.

 

“Okay, Hounds just stated that he knows who perp is and how the movie characters can identify him. Care to guess, ‘Doctor Barkson’?”

 

Nick growls as he whips his tail out from around Judy and exposes her. “You can get this back if you stop calling me that. Okay?”

 

As Judy nods ‘yes’, he lets her reclaim her furry boa. On the screen, Doctor and Mrs. Malamute hurry in.

 

**_“Henry?” Beryl Stipplehund cries as she finally stood at his side. “Henry.”_** ** _“I'm all right, darling.”_** ** _“Oh, no you're not.”_** ** _“We heard those dreadful noises on the way home. It's a mercy he's alive,” Doctor Malamute said as he examined the cuts on Sir Henry’s face._**  “Here we go,” Judy said in a near-whisper. “The solving of the case…”

 

**_“I owe you an apology, Sir Henry, for jeopardizing your life,” Sherbark said quietly._ ** **_“Jeopardizing?” Sir Henry repeated incredulously. “But you saved my life.”_ ** **_“But there was no possible way for me to foretell the final,” Hounds confessed. “And I must apologize too, for deceiving you last night. When I told you that your troubles were over, I knew that they weren't. But if I hadn't cleared out, the crisis, which came tonight, would have been indefinitely postponed with a shadow of death hanging over you. And over you too, Miss Stipplehund._ ** **_Sir Henry blinked, his face reading mixed-emotions. “You knew this was going to happen?”_ ** **_“How could you know?” Beryl asked._ ** **_Sherbark surveyed his bewildered audience. “The person who wanted to snuff out your life, Sir Henry, was the same one who plotted to kill your uncle. He wanted to get you both out of the way so that he could lay claim to this place, to the whole Bassetville estate. In tracing back his lineage, he discovered not only that he was the next of kin, but also learned that old legend about the Hound. So, he brought the Hound to life by the simple expedient of buying the most savage dog he could find and hiding it here on the moor until he needed it. If he had succeeded tonight, the blame would have fallen on the legendary monster, and no possible suspicion would have been attached to him. A most ingenious device. And I'm quite sure that he would have had no difficulty in proving his claim to Bassetville Hall and all that goes with it. A most amazing instance of a throwback that I've ever seen. And you can see for yourself… [Sherbark uses is hands to mask Yugo’s eyes. In the painting, there is a positive resemblance about this part of Yugo’s face to match the same features on Jack Stipplehund!]._ ** **_“Stipplehund!” Sir Henry shouted as the revealed murderer drew a pistol.  
“One move and I'll shoot!”_ ** **_“Jack!” Beryl cried out._ ** **_The murderer snarled. “You two, stay where you are!”_ ** **_“You're under arrest, Stipplehund,” Hounds commanded, “for the murder of Sir Charles Bassetville, the murder of a convict and the attempted murder of Sir Henry!_ ** **_“You can't arrest me, Hounds!” Jack threatened by waving the pistol. “Now, one move from any of you and I'll blast you all to kingdom come!” Stipplehund quickly dashes out the door and into the foggy night. Just to be certain that the murderer could not escape, Sherbark blew his K-9 whistle…._ ** **_“So sorry, old boy!” Hounds said with a grin._ ** **_“What's the matter, old man?” Barkson replied._ ** **_“What's the matter? That's our man.” Hounds stated flatly._ ** **_“Stipplehund, a murderer?” Barkson replied._ ** **_“He won't get very far. I posted constables on both the roads, and the only other way is across the Chimpdon Mire. I'm so sorry, Miss Stipplehund, I wish I could have spared you this. Well, that officially closes the case, Sir Henry, and a very interesting case for your annals, Barkson. An ordinary wild dog and an ingenious criminal. And a more ingenious detective._ ** **_“I owe you a tremendous debt of gratitude.”_ ** **_“We all do, Sir Henry,” Dr. Malamute said. “Mr. Hounds, we've admired you in the past, as does every civilized mammal. Your record as our greatest detective is known throughout the world, but this, seeing how you work, knowing that there is in Zootopia such a mammal as you, it gives us all a sense of safety and security. The Deities bless you, Mr. Hounds.”_ ** **_“Thank you, Dr. Malamutt, thank you. And now, if you don't mind, I've had rather a strenuous day. I think I'll turn in.”_ ** **_“Of course,” Doctor Malamute said as he shook paws with the consulting detective. “Good night.”_ ** **_“Good night,” Sir Henry said as he did the same._ ** **_“Good night, Mr. Hounds,” Beryl said and then took Sir Henry’s paw._ ** **_“Good night.” Sherbark began to walk toward his room when paused._ ** **_“Oh, Barkson, I need the crushed 7% pill in the liver treat….”_ ** **** **_THE END_ ** ****

**Chapter Eighteen: Conclusion of the Movie**

 

 “Well…” Judy sighed. “That’s that!”

 

“So … Stipplehund masterminded the whole thing,” Nick silently whistled. “That one clip of somebody aiming a revolver at Sir Henry then was Stipplehund as well, and he would have implicated Hounds as being in that cab. And to think, a painting caused the perpetrator to confess and act unwisely…”

 

“Not to mention the mystery of the message to Sir Henry, and the switching and disappearance of Sir Henry’s boots,” Judy replied with a yawn.

 

Nick touched the STOP button and then the EJECT button. “Getting someone to confess is nice, but not as ironclad as DNA… What was Stipplehund’s fate, I wonder?”

 

He was about to stand when his partner’s response, or lack of one, stopped him. “Carrots?”

 

This time, her response was a dainty, but definite snore…

 

He smiled as he noted that Judy was once more enveloped in his tail. “Occupational hazard, I guess,” Carefully, he managed to lift her off of the couch, and carry her into the guest bathroom. He was about to set her on her feet when her arms went around his neck, and her mouth claimed his in a sensual tongue duel. He stopped at the threshold to the bath and then set her feet down at the side of the bed. Straightening, he was denied the next move as Judy unsnapped his pants and pulled his zipper down. Pants and boxers went to the floor and then she knelt before him. His throbbing cock bobbed angrily in front of her, and she lost no time in capturing the crimson tool. The hood resisted in allowing more than just first couple of inches to enter her mouth, but she knew how to use her teeth and tongue, as well as a bit of suction, to make Nick go crazy. Every square and rounded inch was subject to her delicate administrations. Even his balls did not escape being rattled in their bag…

 

“Fluff…?” he got out just before she climbed his torso and eased the tip into the hot entryway to her vaginal chamber.

 

“Watch out, Sir Nicholas,” she panted as she bore down on his cock. She knew she could take his size and so she rose up over his throbbing member with just the head buried inside her hot slick pussy. “I fear the Legendary Demon Bunny is hunting the heir to the Vulpine Hall…”

 

Nick’s hands went upward and captured her breasts. Caressing … fondling … molding and squeezing her small but firm breasts, Nick solicited a moan or passionate groan from his victim. “And I will capture this demon and see that it only haunts my ancestral lands!”

 

There was no contest as Nick’s hands quickly slammed down on Judy’s broad hips and drove his cock deep inside her liquid center. Her reaction was quick but priceless…

 

“AAAaaarrrrrroooooo!”

 

From that point on, the count of the concluding passions was lost, but neither Nick nor Judy cared.

 

**Chapter Nineteen: 8 Hours Later**

 

Judy awoke out of a deep dreamless sleep and wondered… “ _Did she really do what she thought she did, or did she just have an intense dream?_ ” Looking at the bedside table, she discovered that the alarm clock was missing… _She usually set it to go off at 5:30am, so where was it…_?

 

“Wha…?” Her mouth was dry, and the corners were crusty… Then, she remembered that today, who’s sunlight was trying to peek in, was Friday… she was about to lay back when another revelation caused her to sit up. To do that, she needed to push a thick fur comforter off of her. When she tried, it resisted and pulled her back down again…

 

After her second attempt, it yielded, and she was able to sit up in bed… bed…? She stretched, and several things lodged into place. Friday meant she did not have to go to work… That answered why this bedroom seemed out of place – hence no alarm clock. He might have it on the other side. What next?

 

The comforter, red fur with a dark brown tip, now lay over her thighs. Not a comforter, she realized finally. She was in bed with Nick, and he had wrapped his tail around her like he always did on a date… Lifting his tail off of her legs, she nodded as she put the last pieces of the puzzle that involved the two of them being naked…

 

“I used a condom,” he muttered as he rolled over on his back.

 

“At my insistence, I’ll bet,” she replied while sitting on the edge of the guest room’s bed. “I wasn’t that far gone to let my Fox have his way with me without protection.”

 

“Yes, Fluff, you did indeed insist,” Nick said as he lay back to appreciate Judy’s nude body. “As I carried you into this room, you grabbed my ears and scolded me about that condition very seriously, and very pointedly I might add, that pregnancy was not an option here. Wisely, I chose to listen to wisdom, and accede to your conditions.”

 

“Plural, Slick?” Judy said as she turned and laid her hand on his leg. “I mentioned other ‘conditions’?”

 

Nick brought her paw up to his lips and placed a chaste kiss of chivalry on her knuckles, followed by a warmer lover’s kiss on her palm. “Yes, my sweet Carrots,” he added with a kiss that was placed on the inside of her wrist. “You said to always ask before I attempt oral or perform Bukkake on you … and one more…” he said as he brought his mouth up to hers for a deep soul kiss…

 

For several seconds, he held the kiss while his hands took possession of her breasts and cunny. When she moaned and put her arms around his neck, he dragged her down on the bed, and hovered over her with his cock beginning to regain some of it rigidity.

 

“Oh, yeah…” he finally said. “Not to deep-throat you unless you request it.”

 

Nick positioned his body to plunge down on Judy, and renew his sensual attack upon her, but she managed to stop him short of the goal with her feet. “Let me up, Slick. I think we’ve had enough of that for now. What other movies did you get that got you turned on, or is it just my ‘eau de heat’ scent you gave me?”

 

“I gave you?” Nick said as Judy rolled out from beneath him. “I wish I could actually bottle that stuff. Unlike the Night Howler serum, the only ‘savage’ you’d get from that ‘parfum’ is what consenting adults get between the sheets!”

 

Judy went over to the dresser where two other DVDs sat and picked them up. “ _Dunkatt…  The film depicts the dramatic and true story of the Dunkatt evacuations from a war-torn beach and harbor in France, following the seemingly doomed plight of thousands of allied soldiers in Mammalian World War II. Caught by the Axis blitzkrieg in the early moves of MWWII…_ A war movie, Nick?”

 

“I know, it sounds like it would stop any romantic move, but how was I to know that a detective film would rock your bunny slippers?”

 

Judy looked at the second DVD and her brow creased in puzzlement. “Cold Case… _Unsolved crimes locked away in dusty file cabinets. Time is an ineffectual balm. Painful memories are left to a victim's loved ones. What happens when a killer gets away with murder? Thanks to the efforts of a special breed of modern detective, no one escapes the laws of justice - no matter how old the case_. Why this one, Nick? It’s a TV series from 1-999…”

 

“You’ve been kinda fidgety lately since we solved a major case but still don’t have our detective shield. Maybe we can get some ideas from this?”

 

“Since when did you start doing the various puzzles in the Zootopian Times entertainment section?” Judy asked as she picked up her neatly folded clothing from the chair and hanging from the doorknob nearest the guest bathroom.

 

On the other side of the bed, Nick was hunting for his boxers while holding his pants. “Fluff? Have you seen my…”

 

Judy giggled and then pointed at the farthest corner table-lamp. “Don’t tell me how you managed that with you doing delicious things to me,” she said as she paused in the threshold.

 

She knew exactly what she was doing… Standing with her back to him and looking over her shoulder with her ears in a provocative angle, she smiled coyly and rolled her hips and caused her tail to twitch. ‘ _Did this affect him? Yes… Yes, it did…_ ’

 

“Uh, do you mind if I join you?” he asked with a slight whine. “We can share the hot water…?”

 

Judy grinned. “And what else can we share?”

 

Nick was up and then next to her with an arm around her waist. “Well, we could get those hard-to-reach places like…”

 

“Eeep!” Judy squealed as Nick’s hand gripped a firm buttock. “Two can play that game, Slick.”

 

After a leisurely steamy-hot shower where certain parts of the body were soaped more than truly necessary, followed by a caressing-soft toweling dry, Nick led Judy into the larger master bedroom and allowed her the privilege of which side she would prefer. Settled, Judy let Nick slide in under the covers before she nestled in against him. Even under the blankets, she felt his body shift slightly, and his feather-soft tail curl around her.

 

“Now what will we do, Nick?”

 

“That, Carrots, is something we’ll take on day-by-day.” He kissed her between the ears, and then held her closer to him. “You know they’re going to razz us for having a scent mark on each other. Would you say that if I compare what happened last night to a soccer game that I got one definitely past the Halfway Line with you?”

 

“Tell whoever came up with that sports analogy that you rocked my goal posts from the Corner Arc, and grin when you say it.”

 

“That good?”

 

“Ask yourself that question, Nick, and remember whose bed we ended up in,” Judy replied languidly.

After a few minutes of restful silence, Judy stirred. “Are we just going to spend the rest of the day here in bed…?”

 

“I can think of a couple of things to do,” Nick said with a smirk.

 

A small fist came down expertly on his breastbone. “Not satisfied, I take it?”

 

“OW! You mean that you didn’t see stars, or you don’t want to see them again?”

 

“Maybe I shouldn’t have let you have the privilege,” Judy sighed. “We would need to shower again…”

 

“And that’s a bad thing?”

 

“Ah, Nick…”

 

“I’m sorry, Judy, but that was the most sensational sex I have ever had in my life… and… I really should shut up while I’m ahead, right?”

 

“You only love me for my body…” Judy said half-heartedly.

 

Nick tightened his tail around her. “No, Judy… Your body is only part of the package … And I am quite honored that you gave me such a wonderful gift…. Look… There’s still plenty of time to either fix something here for breakfast… No… I got it. Let’s get dressed for a comfortable day and take a drive. We’ll stop at your place, so you can change clothes, and we’ll check in at the Savanna Dunes Casino. We’ll beat the crowds there, have dinner, see a show – I think David Copperspots is there. Maybe even snag a couple of tickets for the late show…”

 

While Nick rambled on, sometimes being incoherent, Judy was aware of one thing. Nick was calling her ‘Judy’ instead of Fluff or Carrots, and that meant something to her. “Nick… Nick. NICK!”

 

The fox had just taken a breath. ”Yes?” he said as he exhaled.

 

“Let’s do all of that and whatever else comes to mind. For the show, I want to buy something relatively expensive, and want you in a tux like Doctor Malamute would wear. And if we’re going to a casino, we set a limit, got it?”

 

“Sounds good, Judy,” Nick said, pulling his tail away and exposing her to his gaze.

 

“Uh, Lover… We really need to get dressed if you want more than this,” she said as her hands and arms modestly covered her breasts and her sex.

 

Nick continued to look at her, but she saw the hunger in his eyes. “More?” he replied with a soft growl. “I will be looking forward to this ‘date’ then. Let me make a couple of calls, and you can get even more beautiful than you are already are….”

 

**Epilogue**

 

Monday….

 

**_“There should be a holiday dedicated to all the brave people who show up to work on Mondays._ ” **

 

Judith L. Hopps awakened in her bed at the prescribed 0530 hours. The digital alarm clock on her bedside nightstand managed one “Beep” before she zeroed in a small fist and nailed the off button. Rolling over on her back, she stared at the ceiling and tried to count the number of twinges her body gave off. What was she thinking? Not only was Nick twice her size… sexually, that is… but he was equipped with a muscle set that her body was not truly made to handle. And then, once was not enough! How m                any times had he plunged his fox-hood into her willing sex, and how much did he pour into her cunny? Her hand moved down, and she was quite soaked with body juices.

 

“ _Oy vey is mir_!” she groaned as that amount of movement conjured up a brand-new set of cramps. Like it or not, she needed to get up and wash the last marathon away.

 

She managed to make it to the side of the bed and make it into a sitting position. “Ooohhh…” she groaned again. “I just hope that fox of mine is just as sore….”

 

From there to the shower was a slight challenge, but at least she managed to get hot water.

 

“One advantage to getting up early…” she muttered as she hurried her shower and dried off. Getting into her uniform was easier as she moved about her ‘luxury apartment.’ Examining her reflection in the mirror on the door, she impishly grinned as she adjusted the ‘tail’ strap that kept her powderpuff tail in place. Reaching under her pillow, she picked up her service piece, checked it, and then slipped it into its ‘holster’ just under her tail.

 

Now ready, she turned out all but one of her lights, Judy exited, locking the door behind her. Already, she was thinking about Nick and that exquisite date they had this weekend … and speaking of ‘the devil’, Nick and the Cruiser were waiting for her on the street just outside her door.

 

***************

 

Nicolas P. Wilde glared at the mental clattering alarm clock before picking it up and stashing it under his pillow. The muffled sound that slowly faded into silence gave him some semblance of satisfaction. Not quite as good as hurling it against the wall, but it was close enough.

 

“Beats buying a new one…” he said to his reflection.

 

As he put on his uniform, he brushed out his tail and facial fur, and then stopped. The brush had passed through his chin, throat and cheeks … places that ‘she’ had rubbed against. He could scent her on the hairs of the brush. “Whoa! Better get moving! Don’t want to be late for ‘my bunny’.”

 

Exiting his duplex, Nick shook his head. The garage door opened and the ZPD cruiser waited for him. This one was scheduled to be replaced with a newly designed one being built especially for small to medium mammals. Still, this cruiser was still pretty hot since it had been a converted sports car. He got in, keyed the ignition, rolled out, taking just enough time to see the garage door come down. Taking advantage of being in a ZPD cruiser, he managed to quickly stop at a bakery and a coffee shop for breakfast takeout. He checked his watch and nodded as he pulled over to the curb just in time to see Judy come out.

 

“Breakfast in the bag, Carrots,” he said, pointing at the sack on the dashboard on her side. Nick moved out and around to the passenger side. “Eat up while I drive. If the Chief is on the level, today is the day we’ll get the new set of wheels.”

 

Judy flashed him a grin and then held up a shiny set of keys. “I think he’s as level as one can get.”

 

Finis


End file.
